Theo Clark Leber, a 10-year-old from the Chicago area, lands his feature film debut opposite Dwayne Johnson in Lizard Music. Director Benny Safdie helms the live-action and CGI hybrid adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater's 1976 novel for Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists. The casting came after months of searching for the right young actor.
Safdie, known for his intense character work in films like Uncut Gems and Good Time, takes on a children's property for the first time. Pinkwater's Lizard Music follows a young boy who discovers a secret world of musical lizards, making it an unusual fit for the Safdie style, yet one that blends practical and digital effects. Johnson's involvement signals the project's budget and ambition. The actor has focused increasingly on family-friendly content through his production company, Seven Bucks Productions, after starring in the Jungle Cruise and Hobbs & Shaw franchises.
This marks another significant investment from Amazon MGM Studios in event filmmaking. The studio has aggressively pursued prestige directors across genres, from Ridley Scott (Napoleon) to Mike Flanagan. Pairing Safdie with a beloved book property and A-list talent reflects the streamer's strategy to build theatrical-grade content.
For Leber, the timing matters. Child actors landing opposite major stars in franchise-adjacent projects often experience industry momentum. The months-long casting process suggests the filmmakers prioritized finding an authentic young performer over established child talent. This approach has worked before; casting unknowns or near-unknowns opposite established leads (Tom Holland in Spider-Man, for instance) often generates audience investment.
Lizard Music positions itself at the intersection of prestige filmmaking and commercial appeal. Safdie's artistic sensibility combined with