Brace yourself. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has shed the blockbuster gloss and taken on the rawest, most unforgiving role of his career. In The Smashing Machine, a biographical A24 sports drama directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), Johnson steps into the bloodied shoes of Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion whose life was as brutal outside the cage as it was inside it. Releasing globally on 3 October 2025, this film is not just a biopic — it’s a brawl with addiction, fame, and the dark side of legacy.

A True Story of Muscle, Mayhem, and Mental Demons

Mark Kerr was a dominant force in early mixed martial arts. Known for his sheer power and relentless grappling, he won tournaments in the UFC and PRIDE FC during the sport’s most feral, unregulated days. But behind the championships and cheers, Kerr struggled silently with opioid addiction, depression, and the psychological aftermath of combat sports.

The film captures these parallel narratives — triumph and torment — with clinical precision. It doesn’t just follow Kerr the fighter, but Kerr the broken man, stumbling through substance abuse and a disintegrating relationship. This isn’t a victory lap; it’s a sobering look into the cost of greatness.

The Rock Stripped Down

Forget the chiselled, indestructible action hero you’re used to. For this role, Dwayne Johnson is unrecognisable. From the buzzed head to the hunched posture and emotionally frayed expressions, Johnson completely transforms — both physically and psychologically. He’s bulked up in new ways, gone through gruelling MMA training, and embraced the quiet vulnerability of a man falling apart.

Johnson’s performance isn’t just strong; it’s dangerously intimate, tapping into a rage and sadness rarely seen from one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. This might just be the performance that redefines his acting career.

Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples

Starring opposite Johnson is Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples — a woman stuck between loving a man and watching him self-destruct. Her performance adds emotional nuance and weight, showcasing the collateral damage caused by addiction and toxic masculinity.

Their relationship — volatile, co-dependent, at times tender — forms the film’s emotional core. Safdie treats it with the same attention he gave to the chaos of Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems — raw, real, and never idealised.

Fighting Legends Portraying Fighting Legends

To ground the story in MMA authenticity, the cast features real-life fighters:

• Ryan Bader plays Mark Coleman, Kerr’s best friend and training partner
• Oleksandr Usyk plays Igor Vovchanchyn, one of Kerr’s fiercest rivals in PRIDE
• Bas Rutten makes a cameo as himself, adding yet another layer of realism

These additions aren’t just fan service — they help recreate the chaotic, no-holds-barred early years of professional fighting in terrifying detail.

A Benny Safdie Masterclass

Director Benny Safdie, operating solo this time without his brother Josh, brings the same nerve-jangling realism that defined Uncut Gems. Shot entirely on 16mm film, the aesthetic is deliberately grainy, drenched in sweat, blood, and fear. The tension doesn’t come from grand speeches or training montages — it comes from awkward silences, medical consultations, and the deafening sound of an IV drip in a hotel room.

The sound design is purposefully oppressive. Composer Nala Sinephro delivers an ambient, jazz-inflected score that contrasts the brutality onscreen, making every fight and every breakdown feel like a slow-motion car crash.

The Trailer: Pure Impact

The official trailer, released in April 2025, opens with Johnson shadowboxing in a dimly lit hotel bathroom, eyes bloodshot, hands shaking. It quickly spirals into chaos — fight footage from the early UFC, tense hospital scenes, aggressive press conferences, and a devastating moment where Blunt’s character screams, “You’re not even here anymore!”

It ends with Kerr lying on a locker room floor, staring at the ceiling as we hear: “They cheer when you smash people. But who helps put you back together?”

This isn’t sports entertainment. This is survival.

The Marketing Trick — Classic A24

In true A24 style, the marketing campaign for The Smashing Machine came with a twist. On 29 April 2025, an anonymous text message campaign launched with the phrase: “Need a hit?” — those who responded received cryptic voice messages of Johnson as Kerr, reciting lines from the film, alongside a link to the trailer. Within hours, #TheSmashingMachine was trending across X, Instagram, and Reddit.

Clever, dark, and perfectly aligned with the movie’s tone.

Release Info & Global Premiere

The Smashing Machine will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2025, followed by a global cinema release on 3 October 2025 through A24.

Film Title: The Smashing Machine
Directed By: Benny Safdie
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Oleksandr Usyk
Rating: R (expected)
Run Time: Approx. 125 minutes
Release Date: 3 October 2025

Why This Film Matters

In a post-glamour Hollywood landscape, The Smashing Machine is a return to uncomfortable truth. It doesn’t shy away from the real-life destruction that fame and expectation can cause. It avoids glorification and it doesn’t flinch.

Mark Kerr’s story is tragic. But it’s also a warning. A tale of how even the strongest fighters can become the weakest men when the lights dim. And Dwayne Johnson, of all people, might be the only actor powerful enough to carry that weight, yet vulnerable enough to let it break him.

The world of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” isn’t finished yet. In a move few predicted but many are already buzzing about, Brad Pitt’s Oscar-winning character Cliff Booth is officially returning — but not under the guidance of Quentin Tarantino. Instead, Netflix has greenlit “The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth” with acclaimed director David Fincher at the helm.
And yes, the internet is already ablaze with theories, expectations, and cautious excitement.

If you’re wondering how a story so rooted in Tarantino’s nostalgic vision of 1960s Hollywood could survive without its original creator, you’re not alone. However, bringing David Fincher into the equation adds an entirely new dimension that promises a grittier, darker, and arguably even more fascinating take on the character and the era.

Revisiting Cliff Booth: The Quiet Enigma

When Once Upon a Time in Hollywood hit cinemas in 2019, it was celebrated as Tarantino’s ultimate love letter to a bygone Hollywood. Brad Pitt’s portrayal of Cliff Booth — the loyal stuntman and supposed war hero with a mysterious, possibly violent past — became an instant fan favourite, earning Pitt the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The film grossed over $374 million globally on a $90 million budget, making it Tarantino’s most financially successful outing to date. Pitt’s character captured imaginations precisely because he was such an enigma — a man of few words, brutal efficiency, and ambiguous morals.

Now, five years later, Cliff Booth is stepping back into the limelight — but with a different, arguably more sinister, lens.

What We Know So Far About “The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth”

The new film, officially titled “The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth,” will pick up after the events of the first film. Early plot details suggest Booth is now working as a middleman within the Hollywood studio system during the 1970s, a time when the industry was undergoing seismic changes.

Where Tarantino’s film lovingly depicted the dying embers of 1960s Hollywood, Fincher’s sequel will reportedly delve into the murkier underbelly of the post-Golden Age film industry. Expect fewer golden hues and more shadowy corners.

• Confirmed: Brad Pitt is reprising his role.
• Confirmed: David Fincher is directing.
• Not confirmed: Whether other characters like Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) will make appearances.

The Shift From Tarantino to Fincher: Why It Matters

Tarantino and Fincher could not be more different.
Where Tarantino romanticises cinema history with stylised dialogue, meta-references, and a sense of pulp adventure, Fincher’s style is meticulous, cold, and psychological. His films like Seven, Zodiac, Fight Club, and Gone Girl show a deep fascination with the darker aspects of human nature.

That difference could be exactly why this sequel is so intriguing. Imagine Cliff Booth through Fincher’s lens — a deeply flawed, potentially dangerous man trying to survive (and perhaps exploit) a Hollywood rapidly shedding its glamour.

Where Tarantino was content to leave Cliff’s violent past ambiguous, Fincher may very well force us to confront it head-on.

What Made Cliff Booth Such a Fascinating Character?

In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Booth represented a particular kind of American masculinity — stoic, self-reliant, and quietly violent. Yet the film deliberately left many aspects of his history unanswered:

• Did Cliff kill his wife? The infamous flashback aboard the boat was ambiguous at best.
• What did Cliff do during the war? References to his military service suggested he might have been more of a killer than a hero.
• Is he a hero or an anti-hero? Booth’s brutal dispatch of the Manson Family attackers painted him as a saviour, but his capacity for violence was undeniable.

Exploring these questions further in a darker, more psychological setting makes Cliff Booth ripe for one of Fincher’s signature character dissections.

Brad Pitt and David Fincher: A Proven Team

This is not the first time Brad Pitt and David Fincher have collaborated, and every previous partnership has resulted in cinematic magic:

• Seven (1995): Pitt as Detective Mills, hunting a serial killer in a city drowning in sin.
• Fight Club (1999): Pitt as Tyler Durden, a chaotic force of destruction wrapped in charisma.
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): A more tender, existential performance exploring the passage of time.

Each collaboration has pushed Pitt to shed his Hollywood heartthrob image and embrace grittier, more complex roles. It’s fair to expect that Fincher will once again challenge Pitt to dig deeper, perhaps even dismantle some of the mythology around Cliff Booth.

The Setting: 1970s Hollywood — Grit Over Glamour

If the 1960s were the end of the Golden Age, the 1970s were the Wild West for American cinema. Directors like Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and William Friedkin transformed the industry with grittier, more experimental films.

Hollywood itself became less polished — both on screen and off:

• Scandals rocked studios.
• Violence and crime rose in Los Angeles.
• Studios began taking bigger risks on darker, more daring stories.

Cliff Booth operating in this setting is a genius move. He’s a relic of a past era trying to navigate a treacherous new world where power dynamics shift rapidly — and loyalty is often a liability.

Potential Cameos and Real-Life Figures

Just as Tarantino’s original included cameos from figures like Bruce Lee and Sharon Tate, Fincher’s film could introduce key 1970s icons:

• Robert Evans: The notorious Paramount executive behind “The Godfather” and “Chinatown.”
• Francis Ford Coppola: Struggling to get The Godfather made against studio resistance.
• Roman Polanski: Post-Sharon Tate tragedy phase.
• Steven Spielberg: The emerging wunderkind.

Given Fincher’s dedication to realism (see Zodiac for proof), expect any real-life appearances to be meticulously researched and grounded in historical accuracy.

Netflix’s Bold Move: What It Means for Streaming

Netflix’s decision to back this project shows its ongoing commitment to prestige filmmaking. After scoring collaborations with Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) and Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), adding David Fincher and Brad Pitt is another feather in the platform’s cap.

But questions remain:

• Will there be a limited theatrical release?
• How will audiences accustomed to Tarantino’s style react to Fincher’s interpretation?

Regardless, it’s another sign that the streaming wars are intensifying — with content quality, not just quantity, being the new battleground.

What We’re Hoping to See

• A deeper character study: Push Cliff Booth beyond the cool exterior.
• Psychological tension: Explore the moral compromises required to survive Hollywood’s shifting tides.
• Historical accuracy: Spotlight the underbelly of 1970s Los Angeles.
• Nuanced violence: Fincher’s depictions are less flashy but infinitely more unsettling than Tarantino’s.

Final Thoughts: A Bold New Chapter for a Modern Icon

The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth might not be the sequel fans expected — but it could be the sequel they didn’t know they needed. With David Fincher’s cold precision and Brad Pitt’s evolving maturity as an actor, this project could carve out a new kind of cinematic legend.

Tarantino gave us the myth.
Fincher might just give us the man.

Expect a slower burn, a darker tone, and a Cliff Booth who is both more heroic and more terrifying than ever before.

We’ll be watching closely.

For more on everything cool, cinematic, and trending in the UAE and beyond:
https://whatshotinuae.com

Joe Rogan is a name that resonates across multiple generations, demographics, and interests. From his early days as a stand-up comedian and television presenter to becoming the global voice behind The World’s Biggest Podcast, Rogan has redefined what it means to be a media titan in the 21st century. But how did he rise from relative obscurity to become the most downloaded and most influential podcaster in the world? Let’s unravel the factors behind his meteoric ascent and understand why Joe Rogan’s name is synonymous with podcasting dominance.

Early Foundations: The Comedian and Martial Artist

Long before he ever touched a microphone for podcasting, Joe Rogan was carving out a career in stand-up comedy and martial arts. Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1967, Rogan’s early life was shaped by discipline and curiosity. He began practising taekwondo in his early teens, eventually winning the U.S. Open Championship at the age of 19. This athleticism, paired with a natural sense of timing and charisma, made him a compelling presence on stage.

In the 1990s, Rogan gained some recognition from his roles in sitcoms like NewsRadio and as the host of Fear Factor. These shows gave him mainstream visibility, but more importantly, they laid the groundwork for his future in broadcasting. Rogan understood audiences, had a sharp wit, and, crucially, knew how to maintain a listener’s attention.

The Birth of the Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast launched on December 24, 2009. The first few episodes were rudimentary – just Rogan and his friends talking casually with minimal structure. At the time, podcasting was still a niche medium. But Rogan embraced its freedom. Unlike television, there were no time constraints, no censors, and no network executives to appease.

These early episodes gained a cult following. Fans appreciated the raw, unfiltered conversations. Unlike traditional media, JRE episodes often ran for 2-3 hours, diving deep into topics that mainstream media wouldn’t dare touch. From conspiracy theories and psychedelic research to fitness, nutrition, politics, and comedy, nothing was off-limits. This breadth made Rogan an everyman for the digital era.

Building a Loyal Audience

One of Rogan’s biggest strengths is his consistency. Since 2009, he has released multiple episodes each week without fail. This relentless output has kept his audience engaged and constantly coming back for more. But it wasn’t just quantity – the quality of his guests and conversations also set JRE apart.

Rogan has interviewed a stunning array of guests, including:

• Elon Musk (whose infamous appearance smoking marijuana went viral)
• Jordan Peterson (bringing intellectual discussions on psychology to a broader audience)
• Edward Snowden (interviewed while in exile)
• Dr Rhonda Patrick (a favourite among fitness enthusiasts)
• Neil deGrasse Tyson (popularising science for everyday listeners)

These guests often come with their own large followings. Appearing on JRE exposes them to millions of Rogan’s fans, and vice versa. This cross-pollination of audiences has created a powerful network effect.

Platform Agnostic, Audience Centric

In an era dominated by social media algorithms and walled content gardens, Rogan took a different path. He initially hosted his podcast on YouTube and various RSS feeds, ensuring it was widely accessible. This open strategy allowed his audience to grow organically. Clips from his shows went viral on YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter, pulling in millions of new listeners.

The JRE wasn’t about slick editing or polished production. It was about real, honest conversation – something the public was craving amidst increasingly scripted media content.

Spotify Deal: A Game-Changer for Podcasting

In 2020, Joe Rogan signed an exclusive licensing deal with Spotify, reportedly worth $100 million. This was a watershed moment for podcasting. It signalled that podcasts were no longer fringe content but a viable, valuable mainstream media format. Rogan’s move to Spotify was controversial among some fans who valued the open distribution model, but it also cemented his status as the top podcaster globally.

The deal gave Spotify an enormous spike in traffic and pushed other platforms to invest heavily in podcasting. It also triggered a broader industry shift, with networks and creators realising the true monetisation potential of audio content.

Why Rogan Resonates

So why does Rogan work? Why do so many listeners, from tech billionaires to blue-collar workers, tune in to hours-long conversations?

1. Authenticity

Joe Rogan is unapologetically himself. He doesn’t pretend to be a journalist or academic. He’s curious, sceptical, and willing to admit when he doesn’t know something. This makes him relatable.

2. Long-form Format

Rogan offers something rare in a world of 15-second clips and bite-sized tweets: depth. His format allows for nuance, mistakes, corrections, and evolution of thought. It’s a throwback to genuine conversation.

3. Diverse Guests

Rogan doesn’t discriminate ideologically. He’s hosted everyone from far-right commentators to progressive scientists. This diversity appeals to a wide swathe of listeners and fosters open-mindedness.

4. Cultural Commentary

Rogan captures the zeitgeist. Whether it’s COVID-19, cancel culture, trans issues in sports, or UFOs, he dives into what everyone is already talking about – just in greater detail.

5. Multi-platform Ecosystem

JRE is a podcast, but it’s also a brand. Rogan’s clips dominate YouTube even after his move to Spotify. Fan-run pages dissect episodes on TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit. It’s omnipresent.

Criticism and Controversy

With fame comes scrutiny, and Rogan has had his fair share. His handling of COVID-19 misinformation, vaccine discussions, and politically charged guests has drawn backlash. Medical professionals have challenged claims made on his show, and Spotify has faced internal criticism for platforming him.

However, Rogan’s openness to correction – inviting guests with opposing views and engaging in on-air debates – sets him apart. He’s not infallible, and he doesn’t pretend to be.

Podcasting Before and After Rogan

Before Rogan, podcasting was dominated by niche hobbyists and low-budget productions. Post-Rogan, the podcasting landscape has transformed into a billion-dollar industry. Celebrities, academics, journalists, and brands now all want a slice of the action.

Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and Google have invested billions into podcast infrastructure, while independent creators see Rogan as a blueprint for success. There’s even a term – “The Rogan Effect” – used to describe the spike in popularity and credibility a guest receives after appearing on his show. Wth his show being heralded now as the world’s biggest podcast, where he goes from here will be something to see.

Influence Beyond Audio

Joe Rogan is more than a podcaster. He’s a brand. He’s sold out stand-up tours worldwide, runs a successful supplement and fitness company (Onnit), and remains a key voice in UFC commentary.

He has also helped normalise and promote previously fringe interests like:

• Psychedelic therapy and mental health treatment
• MMA and combat sports culture
• Biohacking and alternative health protocols

His impact is measurable. After episodes on topics like DMT, float tanks, or carnivore diets, search engine traffic spikes. Brands featured on his show report significant surges in interest and sales.

The Road Ahead

What does the future hold for Joe Rogan?

He shows no signs of slowing down. His recent episodes continue to trend on Spotify, and his guest roster remains elite. As podcasting moves further into the mainstream, Rogan’s model – raw, curious, and wide-ranging – remains the gold standard.

Even in an age where AI-generated voices and synthetic hosts are becoming more prevalent, Rogan’s realness is a reminder that audiences still crave authentic human connection.

As the medium evolves, Rogan’s legacy will likely be as the man who took podcasting from a bedroom hobby to a global cultural institution, making the world’s biggest podcast.