Dwayne Johnson Deepens His Shift Toward Drama in A24’s ‘Breakthrough’

Dwayne Johnson is continuing his recent shift into more dramatic territory, signing on for a new A24 psychological thriller titled Breakthrough. The project comes on the heels of The Smashing Machine, his first collaboration with the indie studio, and marks another step away from his traditional action-heavy roles.

Set in Southern California at the turn of the millennium, Breakthrough follows a disaffected young man who falls under the spell of a magnetic self-help figure. While this guru’s public image is one of inspiration and energy, his private methods and motives are far more questionable. Johnson is set to play the supporting role of the guru, while casting for the lead and other key roles is still in progress.

The script comes from Zeke Goodman, an emerging talent in the industry. A24 is financing and producing the film, with additional production from Stacey Sher’s Shiny Penny Productions and Johnson’s own Seven Bucks Productions. Jacob Epstein and Justin Wolf will serve as executive producers under Lighthouse Management and Media. No director is currently attached.

This move signals Johnson’s deepening interest in more layered, character-driven stories. While he remains a fixture in blockbuster cinema, recent choices suggest a pivot. Earlier this year, he set up Ripped, based on a Joe Ballarini short story, at 20th Century Studios. He’s also attached to Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Hawaiian crime film, starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Blunt.

His next performance will be in The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, in which he portrays real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr. The film, slated for release on October 3, is already generating early awards buzz. In a previous interview, Johnson said “I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain.”

Breakthrough marks another step in Johnson’s evolving career, trading in action-hero bravado for psychological complexity. If The Smashing Machine is any indication, this dramatic pivot might be his most compelling chapter yet.

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