Overview

• - The Smashing Machine opened to about $5.9–$6 million domestically from 3,345 theaters, the lowest debut of Johnson’s film career, according to Comscore and trade reports.
• - Deadline and other outlets estimate the film could ultimately lose roughly $10 million to $15 million against a reported $40–$50 million production spend.
• - In an Instagram post, Johnson thanked audiences, said you can’t control box office results, and wrote that playing Mark Kerr “changed my life.”
• - Despite the soft start, the film earned a lengthy ovation in Venice, won a Silver Lion for Benny Safdie, and has drawn strong notices for Johnson and co-star Emily Blunt.
• - Analysts noted projections had run as high as ~$20 million pre-release, with debate over competition from Taylor Swift’s concert film; Fandango’s Shawn Robbins pointed to limited audience overlap as WWE legend Kurt Angle publicly praised Johnson’s performance as Oscar-caliber.