*Courtesy of Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.*

Dwayne Johnson and Benny Safdie have partnered up once again.

In a competitive bidding situation, Amazon MGM Studios’ United Artists and producer Scott Stuber have secured ‘Lizard Music,’ a new film package that will star Johnson and be directed by Safdie. Safdie will also pen the script, adapting Daniel Pinkwater’s classic novel of the same name.

Production duties are shared among a powerhouse team: Stuber and Nick Nesbitt will produce for United Artists, Safdie for Out for the Count Productions, Johnson for Seven Bucks Productions, and David Koplan for Magnetic Fields Entertainment.

The story follows a young boy who stumbles upon a mysterious late-night TV broadcast featuring lizard musicians. His search for answers leads him to the eccentric 70-something Chicken Man (played by Johnson) and his 111-year-old chicken companion, Claudia. Together, they embark on a fantastical journey to uncover a hidden society.

Johnson recently collaborated with Safdie on A24’s ‘The Smashing Machine,’ which hit theaters earlier this month. While the film underperformed commercially, it has become an awards season contender, particularly for Johnson’s acclaimed performance as UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr. The project marked Safdie’s first solo directorial venture, following his earlier co-directed films ‘Good Time’ and ‘Uncut Gems’ with his brother Josh Safdie.

Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, streaming, and theatrical, expressed excitement about the reunion:

“We are so thrilled to partner once again with extraordinarily talented Dwayne Johnson, as well as work for the first time with the amazing creator, writer, and director Benny Safdie, on ‘Lizard Music.’ Everyone at Amazon MGM and UA is deeply inspired by their previous collaboration on the critically acclaimed The Smashing Machine. We are so excited to now collaborate with them on this imaginative, entertaining, and cinematic story; Lizard Music is a tale that feels both timeless and unique. We are very fortunate that they have trusted us to be their studio partners.”

Stuber added his own praise:

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with Dwayne and Benny on multiple projects and have seen firsthand their incredible talents and connection as artists. The world they’ve created together for Lizard Music is unlike anything either has done before, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this wonderfully imaginative story to life.”

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