As the new A24 film “The Smashing Machine” faces a difficult opening at the box office, a report from Deadline has revealed that star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took a significant pay cut to get the passion project made. The film, a biographical drama about the life of former MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr, opened to a disappointing $5.9 million in the U.S..

According to the Deadline report, Johnson took a fee of $4 million for the film, a substantial reduction from his historical asking price of over $20 million plus points. The report also notes that Johnson gave a portion of his reduced paycheck to his co-star, Emily Blunt, and to the film’s subject, Mark Kerr.

The decision to take a lower fee underscores Johnson’s personal investment in the project, which he first announced in N

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