A Complete Unknown Will Be Directed By James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line)
Bob Dylan was 19 when he first set foot in New York. The upcoming biopic directed by James Mangold will follow his journey until he becomes a folk music icon, a recognized poet, and a worldwide sensation. Before he got to the top of the charts and filled concert halls, this young boy from Minnesota was just A Complete Unknown.
These past few weeks, leaked images of the set have been circulating. One of them was shared by the director himself. We see French-American actor Timothée Chalamet, well known for his roles in Wonka, Dune or Call Me by Your Name, embodying the singer. Unfortunately, a concrete release date for the film has yet to be revealed. Sources estimate it will be likely to see something by early 2025.
Although the filming for A Complete Unknown started two weeks ago, the project has been around for quite some time. In 2020, Mangold got the idea of a film about the controversy surrounding Bob Dylan‘s switch to electric guitars. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the project was put aside. But Timothée Chalamet was so attached to the role that he kept researching it and preparing for it. In 2023, he confirmed he is working with the same team of vocal and movement coaches that worked with Austin Butler for his performance in Elvis (2022).
A Criticised Cast
In the end, the new script was titled A Complete Unknown and focused on Dylan‘s general career, as well as on the ones who shared the folk scene with him at the time. Monica Barbaro was cast as Joan Baez, and Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo. Edward Norton will play Pete Seeger. In the role of Johnny Cash, we will see Boyd Holbrook.
When it comes to its lead, internet users tend to think that Chalamet does not have the right look. One X user pointed out that he is not “rough-looking enough to play Dylan“. Others joke about him looking like “he’s going to Camp Rock”, referencing the well know Disney Channel film, or pointing out a resemblance to Fievel Mousekewitz, the animated mouse from An American Tail.
One Hell Of A Predecessor
X user @RasberryRazz is puzzled: “I still am so confused why they’re making a Bob Dylan biopic when we already had the best musical biopic that went through all his periods and homaged music and film styles in such a uniquely erudite fashion that didn’t dumb itself down for non-Dylan fans.”
I’m Not Here, directed by Todd Haynes, was released in 2007. It’s a journey through the ages of Bob Dylan. Six different actors represent eras in his life by embodying different characters, some fictional, some real. It creates a kaleidoscope of shifting personas: poet, prophet, outlaw, impostor, comedian, martyr and Born Again. They all participate in sketching a portrait of this American icon.
The Man Behind The Film
Bob Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, is a legendary figure in American music and culture. Rising to prominence in the early 1960s as a folk singer-songwriter, Dylan‘s distinctive voice and poetic lyrics quickly set him apart in the music industry.
Throughout his career, he has continuously reinvented himself, transitioning from acoustic folk to electric rock, and exploring various genres such as blues, country, and gospel. His impact on popular music cannot be overstated, with iconic songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” and “The Times They Are a-Changin'” becoming anthems for social change and revolution.
Beyond his musical contributions, Dylan‘s enigmatic persona and profound influence on generations of artists have solidified his status as a cultural icon and a voice of his era. Recently, he regained some momentum in 2016, when he won the Nobel Prize for literature, but rejected the award.
CREDITS: Malena Cortizo A.
