Dwayne Johnson is nearly unrecognizable in the first set photos from "Lizard Music," a new movie from director Benny Safdie, Variety and Entertainment Weekly reported. Johnson was spotted filming in Brooklyn on Tuesday.

In the film, Johnson plays a 70-year-old known as the Chicken Man. The photos show him in a tan bucket hat and coat, holding a slice of pizza, while walking beside young co-star Theo Clark Leber, who carries a large stuffed lizard, according to Variety.

His look comes from makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who also turned Tom Cruise into an elderly oil baron for the movie "Digger," Variety reported.

"Lizard Music" is based on Daniel Pinkwater's children's book of the same name. It follows a young boy who "stumbles upon strange lizard musicians on late-night TV, leading him to befriend a peculiar man with an elderly chicken," according to an official summary quoted by Variety. Entertainment Weekly said some cast members have live-action roles while others will provide voices.

The cast also includes Rachel McAdams, Colman Domingo, Jeff Goldblum, Alicia Silverstone, Regina Hall and David Krumholtz. Entertainment Weekly also listed Tim Heidecker. Amazon MGM Studios plans to release the movie in theaters on Christmas Day 2027.

This is Johnson's second film with Safdie. In 2025's "The Smashing Machine," he played mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, also with heavy prosthetics. At the 2025 Toronto Film Festival, Johnson said it took Safdie "about 45 minutes" to convince him to join "Lizard Music," according to Variety. He also said he had lost 30 pounds of muscle to play the Chicken Man.

"I'm so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in 'Smashing Machine,'" Johnson said. "[It means] eating less chicken."

What we know: Johnson is filming "Lizard Music" in heavy makeup as a 70-year-old, and the movie is set for Christmas Day 2027.
What we don't: When a trailer or official first look will come out.