In the space of three months, Timothée Chalamet appeared as well as a velvet-clad Willy Wonka in a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel and the intergalactic aristo Paul Atreides in the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune franchise. But it’s his upcoming performance in James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic that has ‘Oscar frontrunner’ written all over it. Tentatively titled A complete unknownthe Ford vs Ferrari the author’s latest project has officially started filming in New York City. (This all took a long time: Chalamet was already shown in 2020 with his Gibson back and forth to guitar rehearsals in preparation.)
According to Mangold, Haider Ackermann’s poster boy will also sing Dylan’s songs while embodying the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” musician – and he has said Dune co-star Austin Butler for help capturing Dylan’s signature sound. “I actually worked with his entire team Elvis team for my Dylan preparation,’ Chalamet said GQ last year. “There is a great dialect coach named Tim Monich. Vocal coach named Eric Vetro. Exercise coach named Polly Bennett. I just saw the road [Butler] committed to all of this – and realized I had to go one step further.”
“It’s such a great time in American culture and the story of… a young 19-year-old Bob Dylan who comes to New York with like $2 in his pocket and within three years becomes a worldwide sensation,” he said. Mangold. Collider by A complete unknown‘s in the early 1960s during a red carpet interview in April 2023. “First embraced in the New York folk music family, and at one point somewhat outpaced as his star rose so incredibly.” Among the other folk artists represented in the biopic? Johnny Cash (played by Boyd Holbrook), Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). Elle Fanning also joined the film last year as Sylvie Russo, an artist and early love interest of Dylan.
According to Deadlinethe film will also explore Dylan’s controversial turn towards rock ‘n’ roll with his 1965 album, Bring it all back home, on which he played electric guitar for the first time. Fan reaction in the immediate aftermath of the release was remarkably intense. Not only was Dylan heckled on stage at the Newport Folk Festival that year, but in 1966 an audience member at a Manchester gig shouted “Judas!” as he played, he caused a frenzy of media attention. Fortunately, something tells us that Chalamet’s own performance will only earn admiration.
