Emily Blunt's representatives and the makers of The Smashing Machine are negotiating a deal to bring the actress into the project. If the deal goes through, she would feature in the film as Dawn Staples, the spouse of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. The Smashing Machine revolves around the couple as Staples struggles to have a marital life with Kerr as chaos and contradictions enter his life.

The Smashing Machine is based on Kerr's life as he struggles to deal with addiction, victory, friendship, and love in 2000. Kerr won the UFC Heavyweight Championship, the International Vale Tudo Championship, the PRIDE Fighting Championship, the NCAA National Wrestling Championship, the National Freestyle Championship, and the ADCC World Submission Championship. The 2003 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine also chronicled his MMA career as he fought in the UFC, Vale Tudo, and PRIDE championships.

Benny Safdie is the writer and director of the film. Safdie's banner Out for the Count is also producing the film, alongside Dany Garcia and Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions, David Koplan, and Eli Bush.

Safdie and Johnson have been collaborating on the film project ever since Garcia and Johnson's banner got the rights a few years ago. On the other hand, Johnson and Blunt last collaborated on Jungle Cruise.