UNITED STATES — Dwayne Johnson said he lost approximately 50 pounds for Benny Safdie’s upcoming film Lizard Music, explaining the leaner look that has fueled “Dwayne Johnson weight loss” searches.
In a public update, Johnson said he stepped onto The Smashing Machine set around 282 pounds and is now near 235—about the weight he last carried as a University of Miami freshman defensive tackle. The cut supports a role that reportedly requires heavy makeup as an older character nicknamed Chicken Man.
What we know about the movie
Lizard Music is a live-action/CGI hybrid from Safdie, based on Daniel Pinkwater’s novel. Coverage places filming at Trilith Studios in Atlanta from early August through mid-October 2026, with Regina Hall, Alicia Silverstone, and others in the cast. Amazon MGM is among the distributors attached in trade reports.
Not a health scare
The transformation is presented as role preparation, not an undisclosed illness. That distinction matters while separate death-hoax searches circulate online.
