Dwayne Johnson is set to lead upcoming movie The Smashing Machine.

The film, produced by independent company A24, will tell the true story of mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, who was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion.

According to Deadline, Johnson will play Kerr, whose story was previously the subject of a 2003 HBO documentary of the same name which tracked his rise to fame as well as his addiction to painkillers which led to an overdose.

The Smashing Machine will be written and directed by Benny Safdie, who is behind hits such as Uncut Gems which starred Adam Sandler.

Johnson’s company Seven Bucks Productions acquired the rights to the film back in 2019, and he and Safdie have been collaborators on the project ever since.

Noah Sacco from A24 said of the collaboration in a statement: “Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is electrifying. We are deeply honoured to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life.”

While Safdie is best known for his work as a writer and director alongside his brother Josh, he has recently acted in films such as Oppenheimer, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and Licorice Pizza, as well as Disney+ series Obi-Wan.

Johnson is set to be busy in the next year, as it was recently announced that he was collaborating with former Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt to produce action thriller movie Kate Warne for Amazon.

The film will tell the story of the first female detective at prestigious US detective agency Pinkerton Agency, with Kate Warne paving the way for women in law enforcement.

It is thought that Emily Blunt will star in the film as the titular Warne, although this has not yet been officially confirmed due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes.