New Dylan Flick, Timothee Not Leery

Word emerges that a long-delayed Bob biopic has now gone into pre-production with guess who as the electric icon.

Greg Mitchell is the author of a dozen books and now writer/director of award-winning films, including this one coming to PBS stations in May. He was also a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy.

It’s been rumored and reported for quite some time but now it seems there’s a better chance that we will see a James Mangold movie drama focusing on mid-’60s Dylan. In fact until recently it was titled Going Electric, now changed to A Complete Unknown (from “Like a Rolling Stone,” of course)—and just announced that it’s going into “pre-production.”

This comes a day after we learned that Cameron Crowe plans a major Joni Mitchell biopic, with Joni’s cooperation.

Timothee Chalamet has been signed to play Bob, with scattered claims that Benedict Cumberbatch or Christian Bale may portray Pete Seeger (who famously freaked when the folk minstrel raised the decibels at Newport). Reportedly, a Joan Baez character will be featured and one can only imagine who will play her, members of The Hawks/The Band, Albert Grossman, Al Kooper, Bobby Neuwirth and etc. (Maybe Cate Blanchett could play Bloomfield.) Chalamet, at 27, is actually older than Bob when he went electric. Dylan is listed as executive producer in the Imdb chart.

April 10 update: We are now told that Timothee will be doing his own singing as the Bobster!

Of course, like many movies at this stage—and believe me, I can attest to this re: movie options on some of my books)—this may not happen but at least it’s on the boards.

Jay Cocks, the former Time stalwart who interviewed Bob several times, has written a screenplay. Mangold is no stranger to music biopics, having directed Walk the Line about Dylan’s old pal Johnny Cash. He’s also directed Logan, Ford v. Ferrari, and Wolverine, among others, and helms the upcoming Indiana Jones re-boot…

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Well, if you need any reminder, here’s Bob at Newport, with “Rolling Stone.”

Rehearsing a bit beforehand.

Not as well known, after the boos and whatever, Bob was finally coaxed back to close on an acoustic note, though with pointed lyrics, on a stunning “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” Before he started strumming he had to ask the audience for a harmonica, and dozens were tossed on stage….He then played “Tambourine Man.”