section_path: In popular culture
section_name: In popular culture
paragraph_text: In popular culture
  
  In 2002, HBO aired a documentary titled The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, directed by John Hyams, which dealt with the life and career of Mark Kerr. The program chronicles Kerr's addiction to painkillers and the "no holds barred" aspect of early mixed martial arts competition. Kerr's then-girlfriend, Dawn Staples, and mixed-martial artists Bas Rutten, Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman also appear in the film. Rutten states during the documentary that due to Kerr's ability to end fights quickly, the Pride tournament directors were removing all of Kerr's 'weapons' (notably head-butts and knees to the head of a grounded opponent) in an attempt to make the fights last longer for television and crowd satisfaction.
  
  On December 13, 2023, it was announced that A24 will produce a biopic of Kerr titled The Smashing Machine, borrowing its title from the HBO documentary. Dwayne Johnson is set to star as Kerr, and Emily Blunt to star as Staples, with Benny Safdie set to direct. The film is set to be released on October 3, 2025.
  
  In 2002, HBO aired a documentary titled The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, directed by John Hyams, which dealt with the life and career of Mark Kerr. The program chronicles Kerr's addiction to painkillers and the "no holds barred" aspect of early mixed martial arts competition. Kerr's then-girlfriend, Dawn Staples, and mixed-martial artists Bas Rutten, Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman also appear in the film. Rutten states during the documentary that due to Kerr's ability to end fights quickly, the Pride tournament directors were removing all of Kerr's 'weapons' (notably head-butts and knees to the head of a grounded opponent) in an attempt to make the fights last longer for television and crowd satisfaction.
  
  On December 13, 2023, it was announced that A24 will produce a biopic of Kerr titled The Smashing Machine, borrowing its title from the HBO documentary. Dwayne Johnson is set to star as Kerr, and Emily Blunt to star as Staples, with Benny Safdie set to direct. The film is set to be released on October 3, 2025.