Grammy-winning artist Raye has officially boarded the star-studded ensemble of Benny Safdie’s upcoming feature film adaptation of Lizard Music. In addition to contributing original music to the ambitious cinematic project, which seamlessly integrates live-action filmmaking with advanced computer-generated imagery (CGI), Raye is slated to take on a prominent voice role. The announcement places the British singer-songwriter at the intersection of a massive Hollywood production that boasts one of the most eclectic casts assembled in recent memory, cementing her rapidly expanding footprint in the film industry following her recent foray into scripted dramatic acting.
Safdie’s adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s cult-classic 1976 children’s novel has drawn immense industry attention not only for its surreal source material but also for its staggering roster of talent. Joining the project as both a star and a producer is Dwayne Johnson, whose presence underscores the film’s broad commercial ambitions. The sprawling cast also features Theo Leber, Alicia Silverstone, Tim Heidecker, Arya Parvathi, Regina Hall, Colman Domingo, Jeff Goldblum, Rachel McAdams, David Krumholtz, and Andrew Dice Clay. With a theatrical release date officially locked in for December 25, 2027, Lizard Music is shaping up to be one of the holiday season’s most eccentric and anticipated cinematic events.
A Surreal Journey Through Space, Sound, and Reptilian Broadcasts
At its core, Lizard Music is built upon the wild, imaginative foundations laid by Daniel Pinkwater, an author renowned for his prolific contributions to children’s and young adult literature. Safdie, operating through his Out for the Count Productions banner, penned the screenplay, translating Pinkwater’s bizarre universe into a modern cinematic language.
The narrative follows the madcap adventures of a young boy named Victor, played by newcomer Theo Leber, whose life takes a surreal turn when he discovers a mysterious, late-night television broadcast featuring a society of advanced lizards performing unearthly, hypnotic music. Driven by curiosity, Victor embarks on a bizarre quest for answers, eventually aligning himself with an eccentric old man known affectionately as the Chicken Man and his remarkably sophisticated, octogenarian confidante: a chicken named Claudia. Together, this peculiar trio noses around the universe, encountering the strange, the cosmic, and the unexplainable.
The integration of CGI with live-action elements is expected to bring Pinkwater’s vividly eccentric world to life, presenting technical challenges and creative opportunities that Safdie is uniquely positioned to navigate. Known for his intense, high-anxiety storytelling in films like Uncut Gems and Good Time (co-directed with his brother Josh Safdie), Benny Safdie’s transition into a whimsical yet deeply weird universe promises a distinct aesthetic that bridges art-house sensibilities with major studio backing.
Behind the Scenes: A Powerhouse Production Team
The magnitude of Lizard Music is further reflected in its heavyweight production team, representing a coalition of top-tier Hollywood production companies. Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt are producing via their banner, bringing considerable industry weight to the project. They are joined by Benny Safdie for Out for the Count Productions, Dwayne Johnson alongside his partners at Seven Bucks Productions, and David Koplan representing Magnetic Fields Entertainment.
This collaborative framework brings together diverse cinematic philosophies, merging independent auteur visions with blockbuster production standards. The involvement of Seven Bucks Productions guarantees a robust promotional apparatus, while the steady hands of producers like Stuber ensure that the complex technical demands of blending CGI reptile musicians with live-action human actors will be executed at the highest industry levels.
Raye’s Meteoric Rise: From Chart-Topping Albums to Hollywood Scoring
Raye’s involvement in Lizard Music marks another monumental milestone in what has been an extraordinary career renaissance for the British artist. Following her historic sweep at the Brit Awards and the widespread critical acclaim of her independent musical catalog, Raye released her second full-length studio album, This Music May Contain Hope, in May. The album’s standout hit, “Where Is My Husband!,” has quickly become a dominant fixture on the global charts and is widely projected by industry analysts to be a major contender for Song of the Year at the upcoming Grammy Awards.
However, Raye’s creative ambitions have increasingly spilled over into the cinematic realm. Earlier this year, it was announced that she had secured a dramatic role in Yann Demange’s upcoming London-based crime feature, Lineage, marking her first official scripted dramatic performance following a brief self-appearance cameo in Netflix’s Black Rabbit. Now, by taking on a voice role and composing original music for Lizard Music, Raye is solidifying her status as a multi-hyphenate talent capable of conquering both the global pop charts and major Hollywood soundstages.
Her original compositions for Lizard Music are expected to bridge the gap between contemporary soul-pop sensibilities and the bizarre, "unearthly" auditory requirements of a society of musical lizards. Given her capacity for narrative-driven lyricism and dynamic vocal arrangements, Raye’s contributions will likely form the emotional and atmospheric backbone of the film.
Chronology of the Project and Strategic Rollout
The development of Lizard Music has moved steadily since Safdie first engaged with the source material. While initial concept and writing phases took place behind closed doors, the official casting announcements have rolled out in waves, generating sustained momentum across trade publications and social media platforms.
- May: Raye releases her acclaimed second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope, and secures her first dramatic acting role in Yann Demange’s Lineage.
- Mid-Year: Production entities including Seven Bucks Productions, Out for the Count Productions, and UA finalize their partnerships, locking in key creatives.
- Late Year: The sweeping ensemble cast—featuring Dwayne Johnson, Jeff Goldblum, Rachel McAdams, and others—is officially confirmed alongside Raye’s dual role as a voice actor and original composer.
- December 25, 2027: The scheduled theatrical release date for Lizard Music, positioning the film as a major holiday tentpole release.
This calculated timeline allows the production team ample runway to execute the complex visual effects required to bring a world of talking chickens, eccentric hermits, and musical lizards to the big screen.
Broader Implications and Industry Impact
The greenlighting and casting of Lizard Music point to several broader trends within the contemporary film industry. First, it highlights the enduring value of adapted intellectual property, particularly eccentric literary works that offer high conceptual flexibility. By looking past standard comic book franchises and young adult dystopian series, studios are increasingly digging into surrealist children’s literature to find fresh, visually distinct narratives.
Second, the project exemplifies the growing industry demand for multi-hyphenate talent. Artists like Raye are no longer confined to traditional promotional cycles; instead, they are being integrated directly into the creative fabric of major feature films as both performers and composers. This cross-pollination between the music industry and major motion picture studios benefits both sectors, injecting pop-culture relevance into high-concept cinema while offering recording artists new avenues for global storytelling.
As production ramps up ahead of its Christmas 2027 premiere, Lizard Music stands as an intriguing anomaly on the Hollywood release calendar—a high-budget, CGI-infused adaptation of a counter-cultural children’s book, steered by an uncompromising indie auteur, anchored by global superstars, and scored by one of contemporary music’s most vital voices. Whether the world is truly ready for musical reptiles remains to be seen, but the journey to find out promises to be one of the most closely watched cinematic events of the decade.
