Dwayne Johnson earned rave reviews for his performance in Benny Safdie's debut solo directorial, The Smashing Machine.
Johnson has reunited with Safdie for a new film, Lizard Music.
Johnson plays a 70-year-old in Lizard Music.
Dwayne Johnson was practically disguised on the NYC set of his latest fantasy project, Lizard Music. Playing a character in his 70s from the classic 1976 children's novel, the 54-year-old actor hit the set on Oct. 20 sporting a retro bucket hat, a long trench coat, a silly tie, and chunky sneakers, paired with a scruffy gray beard that wholly concealed his famous jawline. The artist behind Johnson’s look is Kazu Hiro, who is also responsible for shifting Tom Cruise into a geriatric oil baron for Digger.
Lizard Music Plot Details
Lizard Music follows a young boy after he stumbles upon a mysterious late-night television show featuring musical lizards. Driven by curiosity, he teams up with a colorful 70-something named Chicken Man (played by Johnson) and his centenarian hen, Claudia, embarking on a quest to uncover a covert world. Safdie directs the film from his own script that is based on author Daniel Pinkwater’s novel of the same name. Johnson's young costar is played by fourth-grade actor Theo Clark Leber. The film also stars Hollywood veterans Rachel McAdams, Colman Domingo and Regina Hall in roles that are still kept under wraps.
This project caps another collaboration between Johnson and director Safdie after their success with The Smashing Machine. Johnson previously drew praise for portraying UFC legend Mark Kerr in the A24 film, which served as Safdie’s solo directorial debut following his acclaimed joint projects with his brother Josh, including Uncut Gems and Good Time. Benny won the Silver Lion Best Director prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival for The Smashing Machine.
While speaking to Deadline at D23 in August, Johnson revealed that he undergoes “five hours of makeup every day” to play a man in his 70s. “We’re in full production. It’s called Lizard Music, I’m with Benny Safdie again. That’s my guy,” he said. “Imagine Willy Wonka but from the mind of Benny Safdie."
The movie is slated for a Christmas 2027 premiere, pitching it in direct competition with Ron Howard’s Amazon MGM drama Alone at Dawn—led by Anne Hathaway and Adam Driver—and Nancy Meyers’ Warner Bros. ensemble comedy Paris Paramount, which features Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, and Owen Wilson.
