It is truthfully arduous to inform the place the following shock on the 2025 film schedule goes to come back from. However, within the case of Dwayne Johnson, his 12 months of cinema already appeared to pack fairly a punch, contemplating his upcoming sports activities The Smashing Machine, in addition to a pair different tasks. Nonetheless, there’s one which I actually did not see coming.
The person recognized to some as The Rock has undoubtedly laid one other smackdown within the enterprise. Although this one’s admittedly moderately heartwarming, as I’ve just lately found that Johnson truly produced a documentary on the late Andy Kaufman. Johnson shared a report of the information to his Instagram, and never solely do I like the candy approach he promoted Andy Kaufman Is Me’s arrival on the Tribeca Movie Competition but additionally how he honored the late comedian on the heart of the doc:
Andy Kaufman was a daring artist and took large dedicated swings to make individuals FEEL one thing. Laughter, anger, pleasure, and immediately may create chaos that wildly juxtaposed the mild kindness behind his eyes. And the factor I beloved essentially the most about Andy’s artistry is that it was all the time from the intestine. By no means ‘advised jokes’ simply actual and from the intestine. This documentary was a pleasure to assist produce. Massive thanks to the [Tribeca Film Festival] and everybody for his or her assist.
This actually is a candy message and a nice shock general. Nonetheless, if somebody had been to look additional into the put up shared by Andy Kaufman Is Me’s producing accomplice, the connection isn’t as loopy as you’d suppose. The late comic loved boosting the profile {of professional} wrestling by way of a few of his stunts. With that, Dwayne Johnson’s fondness for Kaufman’s shtick now appears like a no brainer.
It additionally tracks that late-night TV legend David Letterman serves as a co-producer on this exact same challenge. The previous CBS Late Present host actually had his personal position to play in that legacy; as his present performed host to a moderately “heated” brawl between Kaufman and wrestling celebrity Jerry Lawler. It was a second that was finally confirmed to be staged, as half of a bigger fake feud between the boys.
The legacy of Andy Kaufman is one which’s been lined by different documentaries over time. This isn’t even the primary one to hit in 2025, as director Alex Braverman’s Thank You Very A lot had a digital/theatrical launch earlier within the 12 months.
And, after all, there’s the story of Jim Carrey’s notorious Man on the Moon efficiency, which concerned the actor going full technique and “shedding” himself in his portrayal of Kaufman. All of that’s captured within the 2017 documentary Jim & Andy: The Nice Past (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). However these accustomed to this newest manufacturing might know that t is not a typical “Andy Kaufman documentary.”
The large distinction in how Andy Kaufman Is Me tells its story is that it does so utilizing the comedy icon’s non-public recordings and puppetry. With that technique in thoughts, we could study extra in regards to the Taxi star’s comedic pursuits in addition to his love of wrestling. Contemplating the unbelievable work Kaufman produced throughout his (comparatively quick) lifetime, it makes me smile to see Dwayne Johnson memorialize him in such a candy approach.
Sadly, there’s a launch technique has but to be introduced for the movie. On a separate word, Dwayne Johnson followers will have the ability to see him break again onto the silver display with A24’s upcoming film The Smashing Machine, because it’s set to open on October third.