Dwayne Johnson has left fans stunned after looking "unrecognizable" in a new movie.
The wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor will play MMA icon Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, the new A24 movie directed by Benny Safdie.
The 55-year-old athlete was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner. Throughout his career, he won over two dozen MMA titles.
The upcoming film will follow Kerr’s rise to becoming a legend in the combat sport in the 2000s, all while battling addiction and marital issues with his ex-wife, Dawn Staples (who will be played by Emily Blunt).
The 52-year-old actor made fans do a double take in the first promo picture of the forthcoming movie.
In the image, Johnson can be seen in a familiar setting - sitting on a stool at the side of a ring, which is reminiscent of his early WWE days.
A woman's legs are spotted on the canvas in the foreground of the snap, while the actor looks tired as two other men talk to him.
However, what's different in the picture is that Johnson has a full head of hair, which is a far cry from his usual bald head. His recognizable tattoos on one side of his chest and shoulder are also gone.
Check out the picture below:Upon seeing the picture, one shocked user reacted: "Actually had to do a double take!"
Another interjected: "The Rock looks unrecognizable in #TheSmashingMachine - like an entirely different person," and shared that the prosthetic makeup design for the movie is being done by Kazu Hiro, who has previously won Oscars for his work on The Darkest Hour and Bombshell.
A third commented: "The rock finally in a serious dramatic role," and a fourth exclaimed: "I used to watch Mark Kerr when I was a kid. I used to buy all the PrideFC tapes and watch them til they were worn out. I’m genuinely hyped for this."
The film will be produced by Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions alongside Safdie’s Out for the Count.
According to Variety, the Moana star and the director first connected on the project in 2019 but put the film on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pair revived the project after Blunt, 41, told Johnson that she had just watched the 2002 documentary “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr” and told him: “You must make this movie.”
The upcoming A24 movie may mark a big moment in the former wrestler's career, as it looks to be his grand entrance into dramatic acting.
Speaking to Variety about the film, Johnson shared: “Benny wants to create, and continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real, characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting.
“I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain," he added.
A24 has not announced a release date for The Smashing Machine.
