Where was The Smashing Machine shot? Revisiting key filming locations of the Dwayne Johnson film

Dwayne Johnson has been getting a lot of praise for his magnetic performance in The Smashing Machine since the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. It has made him a frontrunner in the Best Actor race at the upcoming awards season. That is why many viewers are seeing it as The Rock getting a second wind in his acting career.

The film, written, directed, and co-produced by Benny Safdie, sees Johnson playing a real-life wrestler and martial artist. In a way, it seems like a homecoming for the Rock, who rose to fame as a professional wrestler. Yet, it marks a departure from his usual acting performances, since Safdie's film offers him a far meatier role that requires his character to look inward.

The Smashing Machine shows The Rock under prosthetic makeup. Still, according to early reviews, the film offers him an opportunity to play someone fighting battles not only inside the ring. His character struggles with self-acceptance while fighting uphill battles in his personal life. It inadvertently affects his performance in the ring.

Johnson's fans can see him in this praised performance since October 3, 2025. It will also offer a look into the film's unique aesthetic, backed by some solid camerawork and production design. To achieve that, The Smashing Machine was shot in Albuquerque, Tokyo, and Vancouver, according to a report from Cinemaholic.

Let's find out more details about the filming locations.

The Smashing Machine filming locations, explored

The sports drama film takes us on a journey through Mark Kerr's journey as a professional wrestler. It shows him fighting personal demons behind the scenes while putting on a happy face in front of his fans and followers. Based on the trailer, the film benefits from a blend of gritty and sleek looks through frames that look grainier than usual.

It all makes us feel closer to the mind of this character going through a personal crisis. That's where the filming locations must have helped director Benny Safdie, cinematographer Maceo Bishop, and production designer James Chinlund in their world-building. Let's see how the major cities in Mexico, British Columbia, and Japan helped them achieve this.

Albuquerque

Cinemaholic reports that a majority of this film was shot in this New Mexico city, including locations like CNM Montoya Campus and a Bob’s Burgers outlet. The city also offers a robust filmmaking community and gear that must have helped the shoot and eased the overall process of this A24 studio production. The outlet also reveals that the crew included many New Mexican artists.

Vancouver

The Smashing Machine was partially shot in this city in British Columbia. Based on the reports, the crew might have shot the indoor scenes at this location, since the director specifically constructed a house and placed cameras hidden inside it. It was done to represent the details from Kerr's personal life as authentically as possible.

Tokyo

After filming in New Mexico, the crew reportedly went to the Japanese capital to shoot some parts. There are no official reports available about the specific locations in the city, but the city must have come in handy for the crew by providing locations that required urban landscapes or the support of a local filmmaking community.

More details about how and when The Smashing Machine was filmed

According to the reports, The Smashing Machine was shot in about three to four months in 2024. Principal photography commenced in May 2024 and continued till early August through multiple countries. The film was shot in multiple formats, including VHS and film prints like 16mm, 65mm, and IMAX.

You can find more details about how Benny Safdie used it and worked with its peculiarly grainy look in the video shared above.