James Mangold’s long-awaited Bob Dylan biopic, Going Electric, is still in the works and moving in “a very positive direction,” says Timothée Chalamet, the young actor who has been selected for the role. First announced in 2020, the production had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, as described by its cinematographer Phedon Papamichael: “I don’t think it’s dead, but it’s a tough one to pull off in a COVID-era because it’s all in small clubs with lots of extras in period costumes so you’ve got lots of hair and makeup.”
But the show must go on, believes Chalamet, who told Variety this week: “It’s been a wonderful experience getting to dive into that world, whether we get to make it or not. … the winds that are blowing are blowing in a very positive direction.”
The Going Electric biopic, to be produced by Fox Searchlight, will highlight Bob Dylan’s early career, when he was moving from acoustic folk music to rock ‘n’ roll, and will touch on his linkages with such iconic figures as Pete Seeger and Joan Baez. Dylan himself is listed as executive producer of the film along with Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Andrew Rona.
Meanwhile, Chalamet is busily engaged in Dune: Part Two, which is now in production. His next appearances will be in Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All and in Wonka, a musical prequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Chalamet will be playing the title role in the confection, opposite Olivia Colman. The film is scheduled to debut in March of 2023.
The 26-year-old Chalamet made his debut as a teenager in 2012, when he appeared in the television drama series Homeland. He made his film debut in 2014 in the comedy-drama Men, Women & Children and also appeared in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi film Interstellar. He was especially cclaimed for his leading role as a lovestruck adolescent in Call Me by Your Name (2017), which won him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.