Timothée Chalamet is set to tackle the role of the legendary Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic ‘A Complete Unknown.’ The film, directed by James Mangold, is based on author Elijah Wald’s book ‘Dylan Goes Electric’ and follows the story of a young Dylan’s rise to fame in the 1960s folk scene in New York.
In an interview with Collider, Mangold confirmed that Chalamet will be singing in the film, saying “Of course!” This will be a new challenge for the actor, who has already showcased his musical talents in the upcoming movie ‘Wonka’ where he has seven musical numbers.
Mangold — the director behind Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, hitting theaters in June — explained what appealed to him about Searchlight Pictures’ Dylan film. The project is based on author Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric and has a script from Jay Cocks.
“It’s such an amazing time in American culture and the story of a young, 19-year-old Bob Dylan coming to New York with like two dollars in his pocket and becoming a worldwide sensation within three years — first being embraced into the family of folk music in New York and then, of course, kind of outrunning them at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief,” Mangold told the outlet. “It’s such an interesting true story and about such an interesting moment in the American scene.”
Mangold added that filming was likely to commence in August and that such music figures as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez would be part of the story.
Mangold described the Dylan biopic as an “amazing time in American culture” and highlighted the interesting moment in history where Dylan went from being embraced by the folk music scene to surpassing them and becoming a worldwide sensation in just three years. The director also confirmed that filming is expected to start in August and that other music icons such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez will be part of the story.
Chalamet, who recently starred in ‘Bones and All,’ has a busy year ahead of him with ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Wonka’ set for release in November and December respectively. But with his talent and range as an actor, we have no doubt that he will bring his own unique spin to the iconic role of Bob Dylan.
James Mangold, the director of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is extremely excited about his upcoming project with Searchlight Pictures, which is based on the book Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wald. The film will explore the story of Bob Dylan’s rise to fame in the 1960s, starting with his arrival in New York City at the age of 19 with very little money. According to Mangold, the film will touch on Dylan’s early involvement with the folk music scene in New York and how he eventually broke away to become a worldwide sensation.
This is not the first time that Hollywood has tried to bring Dylan’s life story to the big screen. In 2007, ‘I’m Not There’ explored different aspects of Dylan’s persona through various actors, including Cate Blanchett, who received critical acclaim for her portrayal of the musician. However, ‘A Complete Unknown’ will offer a more traditional biopic approach, focusing on a specific period of Dylan’s life and his rise to fame.
As we eagerly await the release of ‘A Complete Unknown,’ we can’t help but wonder how Chalamet will approach the challenge of singing Dylan’s iconic songs. But with Mangold at the helm and a talented cast and crew behind him, we have no doubt that this biopic will be a must-see for music and film lovers alike.
