Timothée Chalamet’s filmography is already impressive, and it looks like we’re in for another treat. Swapping his Wonka top hat and the sandworms of Arrakis for a guitar, Chalamet is set to captivate audiences in the highly anticipated upcoming biopic. Excitement is building as the film’s director has shared the first glimpses of the Beautiful Boy actor perfectly embodying Dylan on social media, signaling another potentially standout role for the talented actor.
Logan’s James Mangold, who is directing the flick, took to social media, posting some behind-the-scenes images of A Complete Unknown to X (formerly Twitter) in production on the streets of Manhattan. These snapshots, which you can see embedded below, reveal Timothée Chalamet’s remarkable transformation into the iconic folk rocker, capturing a moment of him dashing across a brilliantly moody New York street meticulously dressed to reflect the era.
Photo by JM w/ Leica SL3Summicron-SL APO 50mm2.8 1/160 ISO 12500@searchlightpics pic.twitter.com/Gm1P4rtenpMarch 27, 2024
As reported by Deadline, A Complete Unknown is set to explore the pivotal moment when the legendary musician switched from acoustic to electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The Little Women alum will star alongside Elle Fanning and Edward Norton, with Norton taking on the role of folk icon Pete Seeger. The release date for the film remains under wraps for now, but as you can see from the images below, the movie is well into production.
Mangold has revealed that the Call Me By Your Name star will perform his own singing in the film. The film’s narrative will focus on Dylan’s humble beginnings, arriving in New York at the age of 19 with very little money and his rapid rise to international stardom within just three years. In a conversation with Collider, Mangold highlighted what audiences should expect from the flick:
It’s such an amazing time in American culture… First being embraced into the family of folk music in New York and then, of course, kind of outrunning them at a certain point as his star rises so beyond belief. It’s such an interesting true story and about such an interesting moment in the American scene. Different characters from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan to Pete Seeger to Joan Baez — they all have a role to play in this movie.
The biopic won’t be the first time the Dune star showcased his singing talent. In Woody Allen‘s polarizing 2019 movie, A Rainy Day in New York, he delivered a cover of Chet Baker’s “Everything Happens to Me.” And though we had some problems with the movie’s new songs, the actor was able to impress with both singing and dancing across seven musical sequences in the box office hit Wonka. And, of course, who could forget his earlier days as ‘Lil Timmy Tim,’ particularly his statistics rap, remains a memorable highlight. If this is news to you, there’s a clip of Chalamet sharing this unforgettable moment with Graham Norton on YouTube that is definitely worth a watch.
While we wait for the release of A Complete Unknown, you can enjoy Timothée’s 2024 movie release, Dune: Part Two, which is playing in a theater near you. Or enjoy his memorable performance as Willy in Wonka, streaming with a Max subscription.