Lizard Music: Dwayne Johnson’s first look as an elderly man goes viral

Dwayne Johnson is making headlines for his next film, Lizard Music, which gives him a way to shift from his familiar action-hero appearance. The actor, who is known for his larger-than-life roles, was recently spotted on the film’s New York set with grey hair, deep wrinkles and facial prosthetics that make him look decades older.

Dwayne Johnson new look

The first set pictures, reportedly taken in Brooklyn on October 20, show Johnson dressed in a beige coat, a bucket hat, a blue shirt and a printed tie. The 54-year-old actor has also slimmed down for the part.

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In Lizard Music, Johnson plays Chicken Man, an eccentric man in his seventies whose unusual companion is an elderly chicken named Claudia. According to Variety, to create the character’s aged appearance, director Benny Safdie has brought in acclaimed prosthetic makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who has previously worked on major Hollywood transformations such as Darkest Hour, Bombshell, and Tom Cruise’s Digger.

He opened up about his preparation for the upcoming film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025. “I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in ‘Smashing Machine,’” he said. “[It means] eating less chicken.”

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Johnson also revealed that Safdie's pitch for the character convinced him to take on the project. “Benny pitched me this after,” he recalled. “And after about 45 minutes, this pitch ended and I said, ‘I am your Chicken Man.’”

About Lizard Music

The upcoming film is based on Daniel Pinkwater’s 1976 children’s novel of the same name. Its story follows a young boy who discovers a mysterious late-night television broadcast featuring lizards playing music. His curiosity leads him into an extraordinary world, where he encounters Chicken Man and his unusual chicken companion.

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Lizard Music reunites the actor with Safdie after their collaboration on The Smashing Machine, released in 2025.

The cast also features young actor Theo Clark Leber, Alicia Silverstone, Tim Heidecker, Regina Hall and Andrew Dice Clay.

Colman Domingo, Jeff Goldblum, Rachel McAdams and David Krumholtz are also associated with the project.

Amazon MGM Studios is backing the film, which is set to arrive in cinemas on December 25, 2027.