Bob Dylan will soon have his story told on the big screen for an upcoming biopic, and Little Women star Timothee Chalamet is in talks to lead the movie as the legendary singer. From Fox Searchlight and Ford v Ferrari director James Mangold, the movie will follow Dylan’s rise to fame as one of the most iconic musicians of all time. According to the studio, the project is not yet officially titled, but those involved are currently referring to the upcoming movie as Going Electric, referring to Dylan’s switch from folk to rock music.
Timoth&ée Chalamet is perhaps best known for his starring role opposite Steve Carell as a drug-addled teen in the 2018 drama Beautiful Boy, a part which earned him a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Chalamet is also an Academy Award nominee for Best Actor due to his performance in Call Me by Your Name. More recently, Chalamet appeared in the hit movie Little Women and in the medieval Netflix drama The King. In addition to Going Electric, the young actor is also set to appear in the upcoming movies Dune and The French Dispatch.
James Mangold directed movie will technically be the first biopic to be made about Dylan’s career, but there have been other Dylan-based movies to be released in the past. Last year, Netflix released the pseudo-documentary Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, which mixes fact with fiction to shine a light on Dylan’s work as a musician. Previously, Scorsese also helmed the 2005 documentary No Direction Home, following Dylan’s life and the legacy he has left in the music business. In 2007, filmmaker Todd Haynes would also release the bizarre musical drama I’m Not There, which featured six different characters and storylines based on different stages of Dylan’s life.
Still one of the most recognizable and influential musical artists of all time, Bob Dylan has been a household name since the early ’60s. He would forever establish himself as a legend of the business with the success of several early hits like “The Times They Are a-Changin'” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” When it comes to his legendary 1965 single “Like a Rolling Stone,” Rolling Stone writes, “No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the commercial laws and artistic conventions of its time, for all time.” Always performing, Dylan has consistently been touring with his music since the ’80s for what he calls his Never Ending Tour.
One question that remains is whether Chalamet will personally be singing Dylan’s music himself for Going Electric, or if audio of an impersonator will be dubbed in. However, the actor is reportedly taking guitar lessons to begin familiarizing himself with Dylan’s instruments. In any case, trying to match Dylan’s distinct voice is definitely going to be a challenge for any actor, whether Chalamet will be singing or if that task will be going to someone else. No word yet on when we can expect the movie to be released. This news comes to us from Deadline.
