From the desert planet of Arrakis to the the annals of folk and rock history, Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Dune Part One,” “Dune Part Two“) is having a helluva run. We know he can sing and dance, but what about playing a real-life iconic American musician? From director James Mangold and screenwriter Jay Cocks (“Gangs of New York“), we’re getting a new Bob Dylan biopic called “A Complete Unknown,” starring Chalamet as the Nobel laureate.
Dylan himself is serving as an executive producer. The cast includes Elle Fanning (“The Great“) as Sylvie Russo, and Monica Barbaro (“Top Gun: Maverick“) as Joan Baez. Benedict Cumberbatch was originally going to play the legendary Pete Seeger, but he has been replaced by Edward Norton.
Mangold recently shared the first official photo of Chalamet from the set, and it looks moody as hell, which is pretty perfect.
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Mangold described the film as following a “young, 19-year-old Bob Dylan coming to New York with two dollars in his pocket” before “becoming a worldwide sensation within three years.”
In real life, Pete Seeger had a serious impact on Dylan’s musical upbringing. The young artist often drew inspiration from the folk icon’s music and activism. Seeger eventually helped the aspiring musician facilitate his debut album with Columbia Records. He also served on the board of the Newport Folk Festival, allowing him to invite Dylan to play the event. We’re expecting more information about additional casting soon.
The film is currently shooting in and around Greenwich Village, and doesn’t currently have a release date.
