Fans are used to seeing Dwayne Johnson all bulked up, looking every bit like the Demigod he plays in Moana. However, recently, the actor was spotted going through a massive weight loss, which had netizens raising questions. He has now revealed the reason behind his drastic transformation: Lizard Music.
Dwayne Johnson's weight loss pic.twitter.com/H2LRSrJToh
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Lizard Music is an upcoming collaboration between Johnson and Benny Safdie, and the former will be playing a role that’s quite different from what he usually does.
In order to get into the character of the “whimsical” and “eccentric” Chicken Man, Johnson had to lose over 30 pounds of muscle that he gained as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine (via Variety). Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival, Johnson said of his transformation, “I still have a long way to go.”
The one thing that excites him, though, is the hope that he’ll be able to transform again, just like he did for The Smashing Machine. He said, “I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in ‘Smashing Machine. [It means] eating less chicken.“
Lizard Music Plot and Other Details We Know
All set to be directed by Safdie, Lizard Music is an adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s namesake novel, which was first published in 1976. It tells the story of a teenage boy who is left behind to take care of himself and eventually becomes involved with a group of intelligent lizards that warn him of an incoming attack from outer space.
The plot of the film is as follows (via Deadline):
When a boy left to his own devices stumbles upon a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music, a hidden door to the extraordinary swings open. His search for answers leads him to the eccentric and whimsical Chicken Man and his beloved companion, a 70-year-old chicken named Claudia — two kindred spirits who have also glimpsed the impossible.
Together, the young boy and the Chicken Man set on an adventure through “invisible worlds” and “unexpected harmonies“, and develop an unbreakable bond with time.
The producers of Lizard Man will be Safdie for Down for the Count Productions, Johnson for Seven Bucks Productions, and David Koplan, who also produced The Smashing Machine, a film that received a 15-minute-long standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
Lizard Music Was an Instant Yes for Dwayne Johnson
Johnson will be playing the role of Chicken Man in the upcoming film, and as it turns out, saying yes to the role was easier for him than you would think. At TIFF, Johnson recalled that Safdie pitched the film to him for 45 minutes, after which the actor replied, “I’m your chicken man“.
Safdie pitched Lizard Music to Johnson after their recent collaboration on The Smashing Machine, which the former directed, wrote, and co-produced. Talking about their biographical sports drama, Johnson admitted that it was exactly what he needed to stop being pigeonholed in his career.
He said at TIFF, “I felt for a few years, I was pigeonholed because I allowed it to happen. ‘Smashing Machine’ is for me.” He added, “You hope it’s like, ‘Hey, we made this thing, We love it. We hope you do too, and if you don’t, it’s OK. Maybe you’ll like the next thing’.”
But just because he’s trying new things doesn’t mean he regrets the work he has done so far. In fact, he would love to “go back to making them again” sooner or later.
Share your thoughts on Johnson’s upcoming projects and his drastic transformation in the comments section below!
The Smashing Machine will be released on October 3, 2025.
