A24’s Smashing Machine enters the Octagon to $850K while Avatar: The Way of Water restarts the revolution with $350K in previews

A24 and Benny Safdie are bringing something special to the box office this weekend as Dwayne Johnson lets audiences smell his most transformative performance yet in the biographical drama The Smashing Machine. Directed by Safdie, The Smashing Machine entered the Octagon with $850K in Thursday previews from yesterday and IMAX screenings the week before. Meanwhile, Disney’s reissue of James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has reportedly generated revenue of close to $ 350,000.

Johnson plays Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Mark Kerr is a former American wrestler and mixed martial artist. As a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, a PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion, 1992 NCAA National Wrestling Champion, 1994 National Freestyle Champion, and 4x ADCC World Submission Champion, Kerr is one of the biggest badasses to ever get into the ring.

Out of its Toronto International Film Festival screening, our own Chris Bumbray gave The Smashing Machine a 9/10, concluding that it “should prove to be a success for A24 in every way once it gets its theatrical release, as critics will respect it while Johnson’s many fans will be dying to see him in something so different from the rest of his filmography.” The Smashing Machine is set to hit theaters today.

Johnson will battle more than Mark Kerr’s inner demons this weekend when he squares off against Taylor Swift, whose The Official Release Party of a Showgirl releases in theaters today. Analysts expect T-Swizzle’s latest theatrical banger to earn north of $30M+, while The Smashing Machine will likely bodyslam $9M-$12M. Meanwhile, Avatar: The Way of Water is likely to pull low single digits. The reissue is primarily a marketing and hype generator for Avatar: The Way of Water, which is set to release in theaters on December 19, 2025.

Are you curious about The Official Release Party of a Showgirl? It’s okay if you are. Don’t be shy. I’m attending a screening later today, with a review going live tomorrow. I’m shocked that I was able to grab two tickets yesterday, as I’d assumed Swifties would sell them out. Will I score a friendship bracelet? I hope so. See you on the other side. Pray I come back in one piece.

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