From Venice glory to magical lizards — Benny Safdie and Dwayne Johnson are reuniting for a whimsical adventure where The Rock plays “Chicken Man.”
Fresh off the red-hot success of The Smashing Machine at the Venice Film Festival, Benny Safdie and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are already gearing up for their next big collaboration — and it’s a surprising one.
The duo is reuniting for Lizard Music, an adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s beloved novel that promises a mix of whimsy, heart, and otherworldly adventure.
According to Deadline, Safdie, who just picked up the Silver Lion at Venice, will write and direct, while Johnson will step into the quirky role of “Chicken Man.” The project is being produced by Safdie’s Down for the Count Productions, Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, and David Koplan, who also backed The Smashing Machine.
The story follows a young boy who stumbles upon a strange late-night TV broadcast of lizards performing surreal music. That discovery leads him to Chicken Man — a free-spirited drifter — and his loyal companion, Claudia, a 70-year-old chicken.
Together, the trio embarks on a journey that starts as a hunt for a hidden society but soon transforms into something bigger: a voyage through unseen worlds, magical harmonies, and the unshakable bonds between unlikely kindred spirits.
For Johnson, this marks another unexpected turn in a career that’s already spanned wrestling rings, blockbuster franchises, and comedies. While he’s long been Hollywood’s go-to action hero, The Smashing Machine drew rave reviews for his more vulnerable and complex performance, leaving critics calling it a career-defining role.
Now, with Lizard Music on the horizon — plus a Hawaii-set, Goodfellas-style crime drama reuniting him with Emily Blunt — Johnson seems determined to prove his acting chops stretch far beyond muscle and mayhem.
Safdie, meanwhile, continues to build on his reputation for bold, unpredictable filmmaking. From the gritty Uncut Gems to the emotional intensity of The Smashing Machine, and now the fantastical whimsy of Lizard Music, he’s showing audiences that he’s not afraid to experiment across genres.
The Lizard Music package will hit the market soon, and with Safdie and Johnson’s recent momentum, Hollywood is already buzzing about where it will land.
