Fresh off “The Smashing Machine,” Benny Safdie and Dwayne Johnson are already lining up their next collaboration, and it’s just been acquired by Amazon/MGM’s United Artists division.
The duo are set to reteam on “Lizard Music,” an adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s cult novel that Safdie will write and direct, with Johnson taking on the role of the eccentric “Chicken Man.” The package hit the market imminently only last month.
Safdie scored Venice’s Silver Lion for “The Smashing Machine,” which drew Oscar buzz for Johnson. However, don’t expect the same type of grounded work with their next effort, which seems to be delving into the far-out surreal.
“Lizard Music” follows a lonely boy who stumbles upon a mysterious late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music. His search for answers leads him to Chicken Man and his elderly companion, Claudia — a 70-year-old chicken — who, like him, have glimpsed the impossible. What begins as a quest for a hidden society transforms into a journey through invisible worlds, strange harmonies, and the unbreakable bond between outsiders who discover magic in each other.
Johnson has looked noticeably slimmer diring press for ‘Smashing Machine.’ Speaking with Variety, Johnson explained that his changing physique was part of his preparation for his next role. “I’ve been dieting,” he said at the Los Angeles premiere. “It feels good not to carry all that weight. I can tuck in my shirt now… I don’t look pregnant, so it’s all good.
With “The Smashing Machine” positioning Johnson for a career-best pivot into more grounded material, and a Scorsese project in development, “Lizard Music” signals Johnson isn’t messing around when it comes to straying away from his usual action blockbuster persona and into indie territory. It’ll be interesting see if he’s got the chops to maintain the momentum.
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