A New Bob Dylan Biopic Is On The Way; Here's What We Know So Far

When news broke that there was a(nother) Bob Dylan biopic on its way, music nerds lost their shit. When rumours emerged that it's going to be one Timothée Chalamet that'll be taking on the role, fans of the Call Me By Your Name star lost their shit. 

There's a heap of gossip flying around about the production already, so here's what we know so far...

Who's directing? 

According to the initial Deadline report, it's going to be James Mangold at the helm. Mangold's most recent blockbuster took form in Ford V Ferrari, with Matt Damon and Christian Bale leading the 1960s-era motorsport biopic. Mangold's no stranger to music films though, having directed the Johnny Cash story Walk The Line in 2005 - it saw Reese Witherspoon pick up the award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter Cash. His work also includes Girl, Interrupted, Logan, 3:10 To Yuma, Heavy, Cop Land and more. 

Who's locked in? 

Chalamet is, so far, the only actor rumoured to be on-board with the project and it's also been reported that he's taking guitar lessons to prep himself up for the role. Chalamet, a 24-year-old New York City native, made his break in TV series Homeland, and has since appeared in films like Lady Bird, Beautiful Boy, the new adaptation of Little Women and the aforementioned Call Me By Your Name, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. 

What's it going to cover? 

It's likely that the film will focus on the time surrounding Dylan's controversial Newport Folk Festival in July 1965. It's been speculated that the film will be called Going Electric, after Dylan made the switch from his usual acoustic to electric. The rights to Elijah Wald's 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric have been included in the film's deal, as has rights to use Dylan's music. 

Who got it greenlit?

Searchlight Pictures picked up the rights to the film following HBO passing on the project, with producers coming on board from Veritas Entertainment Group, Automatik and The Picture Company. Dylan himself is also on board, as is his manager Jeff Rosen. Rosen was involved in getting 2007's Dylan-inspired film I'm Not There off the ground too. 

When can we expect it?

Sadly filming or release dates aren't even close to be confirmed yet. We reckon it's going to be a fair time away too, given that Chalamet is about to hit the UK in a stage production from April-May this year. Esquire are speculating a 2021 release at the earliest. 

Want some Dylan in the meantime? 

While you're waiting for the production time to a-change, there's already been a stack of content on him. I'm Not There is a solid place to start, with the film following six different "Dylans" that portray different times throughout his life. The film is particularly relevant for the Australian audience, with both Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger taking on roles. Blanchett picked up a slew of awards for her take on the "Jude Quinn" character. It was also Ledger's final film to be release during his lifetime. 

If you're wanting to do some deeper diving, there's documentaries Dont Look Back, No Direction Home and Eat The Document, as well as Dylan's own directorial work Renaldo & Clara. If you're lucky enough to be in New York, the stage show Girl From The North Country, which features Dylan tunes, hits Broadway next month. 

Stay tuned for more info as it happens.

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