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Dwayne Johnson's R-rated drama "The Smashing Machine" bombed at the box office, earning a career-worst $6 million debut against a $50 million production budget. The film, which features Johnson in a rare dramatic role as wrestler Mark Kerr, failed to connect with audiences despite critical reception. Analysts suggest a mismatch between A24's arthouse marketing and the film's demographic appeal, its high cost, poor word-of-mouth, and a lack of urgency contributed to the disappointing performance.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.