Timothée Chalamet says the previously-shelved Bob Dylan biopic is moving “in a very positive direction.”
Timothée Chalamet has provided an update on the status of Going Electric, an upcoming biopic that will see the actor portray the legendary musician, Bob Dylan. The film was first announced over two years ago, with Walk The Line director James Mangold attached to the project. Last year, Going Electric was said to have been shelved due to COVID restrictions.
Now, Chalamet has revealed that Going Electric is still active, speaking with Vanity Fair about both the fate of the film and the progress in his role as the singer-songwriter. “I haven’t stopped preparing, which has been one of the greatest gifts for me,” the actor said. “It’s been a wonderful experience getting to dive into that world.”
Chalamet went on to explain that while development of the film is moving “in a very positive direction,” he remains hesitant about “giving anything away.” He continued: “I don’t want to beat anyone to the punch, and obviously things have to come together officially, [but] the winds that are blowing are blowing in a very positive direction.”
The film is set to chronicle Dylan’s life and music career, particularly at the point where he transitioned from acoustic to electric guitar and, by extension, embraced rock and roll to the dismay of legions of folk fans. Chalamet has reportedly spent time practicing both acoustic and electric guitar, although it’s unknown whether he will try his hand at any of Dylan’s songs for the Going Electric soundtrack.
At the time of its announcement, Going Electric was said to have enlisted Dylan himself as an executive producer, and had purchased the rights to his discography for inclusion in the film. It comes amid a busy few years for Chalamet, having starred in the sci-fi epic, Dune last year and is set to portray Willy Wonka in an upcoming, Paul King-directed musical about the chocolatier’s origin story. Wonka will premiere in 2023, while the release date for Going Electric remains unknown.
