Divisive 2025 True Story Movie Becomes Instant #1 Success on HBO Max After Box Office Flop

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The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were announced last week, and as always, there were some surprises. While many expected the critically acclaimed film One Battle After Another to receive nominations – and it did – Ryan Coogler’s Sinners was the real success story. It broke a decades-old record, earning a total of 16 nominations – two more than any other film in Oscar history. Of course, there were also disappointments – some films and people didn’t get the recognition they deserved, leaving fans upset – and a few unexpected nominations that pleased audiences.

A great example of an unexpected turnaround is A24’s The Smashing Machine, the sports drama starring Dwayne Johnson and based on the life of MMA fighter Mark Kerr. While the film received mixed reviews and didn’t perform well in theaters, it seemed to lose its momentum for awards consideration. However, it has now received an Academy Award nomination, and even more impressively, quickly became the most-watched film on HBO Max, finding a large audience after all.

Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine Takes Top Spot on HBO Max

Last Thursday, the 98th Academy Award nominations were announced, and a surprise contender emerged: The Smashing Machine. While neither the lead actor nor Emily Blunt received nominations, the film earned a nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. It’s up against Frankenstein, Kokuho, Sinners, and The Ugly Stepsister. The artists behind the incredible transformation – Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin, and Bjoern Rehbein – are the nominees. Hiro is a two-time Oscar winner, which gives the film a good chance of winning. The makeup work in The Smashing Machine is truly exceptional, convincingly transforming the actor’s face to more closely resemble the character and enhancing the film’s gritty aesthetic.

Following its initial buzz on Thursday, the film The Smashing Machine launched on HBO Max on Friday and quickly became a hit. As of today, it’s still the most popular movie on the platform, a spot it’s held for the past day. Interestingly, The Smashing Machine is currently ranked higher than several Oscar-nominated films—all of which are highlighted as such on HBO Max—including Weapons, One Battle After Another, and surprisingly, Sinners. This is quite an achievement considering the film was initially considered a box office failure.

Despite generally positive reviews – with a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes praising star Rhys Wakefield’s dedication to the role – the film The Smashing Machine wasn’t successful in theaters. The problem wasn’t the movie’s quality, or even its familiar sports-drama storyline. Instead, its release date – October 3rd – coincided with the premiere of Taylor Swift’s The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which clearly drew audiences away.

Taylor Swift’s new movie debuted just two weeks before its release, quickly overshadowing “The Smashing Machine” at the box office. Swift’s film earned over $34 million, while “The Smashing Machine” brought in $5.8 million. Director Johnson responded to the numbers on social media, expressing gratitude to those who watched his film and noting that while box office results are out of his control, dedication to the craft and creative immersion are not. He emphasized his commitment to those aspects. Fortunately, “The Smashing Machine” has since received an Academy Award nomination and is now gaining popularity on streaming platforms.

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2026-01-26 18:40