Overview

• Speaking on the Directors Guild of America’s The Director’s Cut podcast, Nolan called Johnson’s performance as MMA pioneer Mark Kerr “heartbreaking” and “incredible.”
• A24’s biopic has earned roughly $13.8 million worldwide after an estimated $5.8–$5.9 million opening weekend, well below industry expectations for a film budgeted at about $50 million.
• Variety reports the praise gives Johnson’s Best Actor campaign fresh momentum even as the film continues to trail commercially.
• The film opened to Johnson’s career-low debut by weekend gross, yet reviews have been broadly positive, with reported Rotten Tomatoes scores around 71% from critics and 76% from audiences.
• Directed by Benny Safdie, who won Venice’s directing prize for the movie, the cast includes Emily Blunt and real fighters such as Ryan Bader (as Mark Coleman) and Oleksandr Usyk.