Dwayne Johnson Describes 'Lizard Music' As "'Willy Wonka' From The Mind Of Benny Safdie," Details 5-Hour Makeup Process To Play 70-Year-Old — D23
Deadline
•Sun, 16 Aug 2026 20:13:08 +0000
📰 What Happened
At Disney's D23 event, Dwayne Johnson said he has begun production on 'Lizard Music', reuniting with director Benny Safdie after 'The Smashing Machine'. He described it as 'Willy Wonka' but from Safdie's mind, and revealed he plays a septuagenarian, undergoing five hours of prosthetics makeup daily with legendary effects artist Kazu Hiro. He called it a challenge he ran towards.
🔍 The Backstory
Johnson and Safdie formed an unexpected but acclaimed partnership with 'The Smashing Machine', which saw the action star take on a dramatic, physical transformation. Johnson has increasingly chased serious dramatic roles alongside his blockbuster image, and Safdie is known for edgy, intense filmmaking. 'Lizard Music' appears set to continue that dramatic direction with heavy practical effects.
🎯 Why It Matters
The project signals a significant creative step for Johnson away from pure spectacle toward weathered, character-driven work, and cements a formidable actor-director pairing. The five-hour daily makeup commitment signals a serious, effects-heavy production and a bold risk. For audiences it is an intriguing glimpse at a very different Dwayne Johnson movie to come.
At Disney's D23 event, Dwayne Johnson said he has begun production on 'Lizard Music', reuniting with director Benny Safdie after 'The Smashing Machine'. He described it as 'Willy Wonka' but from Safdie's mind, and revealed he plays a septuagenarian, undergoing five hours of prosthetics makeup daily with legendary effects artist Kazu Hiro. He called it a challenge he ran towards.
Johnson and Safdie formed an unexpected but acclaimed partnership with 'The Smashing Machine', which saw the action star take on a dramatic, physical transformation. Johnson has increasingly chased serious dramatic roles alongside his blockbuster image, and Safdie is known for edgy, intense filmmaking. 'Lizard Music' appears set to continue that dramatic direction with heavy practical effects.
The project signals a significant creative step for Johnson away from pure spectacle toward weathered, character-driven work, and cements a formidable actor-director pairing. The five-hour daily makeup commitment signals a serious, effects-heavy production and a bold risk. For audiences it is an intriguing glimpse at a very different Dwayne Johnson movie to come.