Channing Tatum’s Roofman Outmuscles The Rock’s Biopic The Smashing Machine At The Box Office

Two very different October releases just gave us a tidy lesson in expectations vs execution: Dwayne Johnson’s bruiser biopic stumbled out of the gate, while Channing Tatum’s small, scrappy heist drama quietly punched above its weight. Here’s what actually happened, minus the studio fluff.

Tatum’s 'Roofman' overperforms, Johnson’s 'The Smashing Machine' wobbles

Channing Tatum’s 'Roofman' landed on October 10 and immediately grabbed the #2 spot at the box office behind 'Tron: Ares'. The movie didn’t just open well for its size—it opened well, period. On a reported $19 million budget, it debuted with about $8 million, and audiences are into it.

Dwayne Johnson’s 'The Smashing Machine' (October 3) came in a lot softer. The conversation around its opening framed it as an all-time low for him—the kind of number that makes people bring up 'The Scorpion King'. Johnson, for his part, seems unfazed by the slow start. But the drop-off didn’t help: after a $5.8 million opening weekend, the second weekend slid to $1.7 million—about a 70% dip.

By the numbers (as of now)

• 'Roofman' (Paramount) — Release date: Oct 10, 2025; Budget: $19M; Opened at #2 behind 'Tron: Ares'; Opening day: $8.1M; Domestic to date: $8.1M; International: $7,797; Worldwide: $8.1M.
• 'The Smashing Machine' (dir. Benny Safdie) — Release date: Oct 3, 2025; Budget: $50M; Opening day: $2.7M; Opening weekend: $5.8M; Second weekend: $1.7M (down ~70%); Domestic to date: $10.1M; International: $3.6M; Worldwide: $13.8M.

Why one’s clicking and the other isn’t

Ratings tell a pretty clear story. 'Roofman' is pulling stronger marks—IMDb 7.2/10 and 84% on Rotten Tomatoes—versus 'The Smashing Machine' at IMDb 6.8/10 and 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. That gap tracks with what people expected versus what they got.

'The Smashing Machine' was marketed like a primal MMA comeback movie—gritty training, rage, redemption, and Johnson sporting a heavily altered look as Mark Kerr. What the film actually is: a character-first drama about Kerr’s personal life and recovery from addiction, with fighting as context rather than the main course. Not a bad movie—just not the fight-forward crowd-pleaser people walked in anticipating. If you don’t know Kerr’s story going in (and a lot of people don’t), the pivot can feel like whiplash.

'Roofman', meanwhile, has a clean pitch: Tatum as the so-called Rooftop Robber in a tight, dramatic package. It’s the kind of premise that sells itself in a trailer, and Tatum’s charm does the rest. With a tiny budget and strong word of mouth, the math favors it continuing to grow, while 'The Smashing Machine' already looks like it’s losing steam despite the higher total so far.

Big picture

Per THR, 'Roofman' is already a win relative to its cost; 'The Smashing Machine' is not there yet on a $50 million spend. Early days for 'Roofman', sure—but when your first punch lands that clean, you don’t need many more to make the round yours.

Both 'The Smashing Machine' and 'Roofman' are now playing in U.S. theaters. Which one are you rooting for?