A Complete Unknown (2025)

[Simone]

It's official! Timmy will be playing Bob Dylan in Going Electric. So exciting!!!

Searchlight Pictures has closed a deal with Ford V Ferrari helmer James Mangold to direct Going Electric. Timothee Chalamet is attached to play Bob Dylan during the period when he was poised to become folk music’s most seminal figure. When Dylan instead embraced rock n roll and traded his acoustic guitar for an amp and an electric guitar, it created a huge outcry. And it cemented the status of rock music. Dylan is working actively with Searchlight and Mangold on the film.

I am not sure if he will sing Dylan’s great songs like Taron Egerton did in Rocketman, or lip synch the way that Rami Malek did for Bohemian Rhapsody. But I’ve heard that Chalamet is already taking guitar lessons so he can familiarize himself with the acoustic and electric guitar.

Dylan was hailed as an acoustic prophet at age 19 when he exploded on the folk scene and seemed poised to follow in the footsteps of giants like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. So when he plugged in his guitar at the 50th anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, the eruption was profound. Some folk purists labeled Dylan a traitor, and there were even attempts to unplug his amp, emblematic of the discord between folk and the growing power of rock music. Others appreciated the evolution of the artist whose place in electrified rock was cemented by hits that included Like A Rolling Stone. The drama revolves around Dylan and his interaction with sixties music legends including Joan Baez, Seeger and everyone who was around during that time.

Since Dylan is an executive producer, I'm sure he'll help coach, guide, and inspire Timmy in protraying him accurately, just like how Elton John guided Taron for Rocketman.

[chalametthegreat]

Just saw this news. My God, Timothee even looks like a young Bob Dylan!!!


I have enjoyed recently two other musical bios Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman so I cannot wait to see this film to learn more about Mr. Dylan. Timothee always said he wants to work with great directors and here he will be working with another legendary one James Mangold. And let's just say right now that if Timothee does an awesome job as expected, I do predict awards nominations as Hollywood loves bio films about musicians. Just see Taron Egertons well deserved win at the Golden Globes last night.

I am curious as to Timothees schedule though? Will he shoot this film in the summer of 2020 after the play? And if Dune is a success then does part II shoot in 2021? I think what I am asking is whether with these projects his filming schedule is probably filled up through mid 2021 which is crazy to think about! Let's not rush life of course haha!

[Simone]

I'm glad you share my same excitement Chalametthegreat! And yes, I even mentioned months ago when it was first speculated that he could play Bob Dylan, that he looked like a baby Boy Dylan. They have the same hair and bright eyes.

filming will most likely start after he finishes his play in London, and wrap up well before the exhaustive promotional tour for Dune begins.

This year is going to be super spectacular for Timmy. I'm so proud of him!

[Simone]

If you're not familiar with Bob Dylan, on Netflix, you can find Rolling Thunder Revue, by Martin Scorsese, now!

Can you imagine Timmy taking this similar photo?

[tracyrcat]

I was shocked when I saw this not long ago. I am not a Dylan fan but I guess I need to look more into his music now, LOL! I love that Dylan will be involved, so this is all with his blessing. I would imagine he had a huge say in who would be playing him. But it is great to know Dylan will be a mentor to Timothee on this, helping him out, giving him guidance, etc. (it does remind me of Elton and Taron except Elton is much more outgoing than Dylan is, so not sure how much we will actually see Dylan during the promo tour). I am super excited for this and for Timothee's career. I'll have to watch the above on Netflix now, as I am not very familiar with Dylan - just wasn't into his music/voice previously. Definitely more interested now!!! And Timothee playing electric guitar too. I am curious if he will be singing or not, although I am not sure how I would describe Dylan's voice - it is not a typical voice.

They do mention he would shoot it after 4000 Miles wraps up May 23rd. So I imagine his summer/early fall is booked up now! Than he'll be busy with Dune promo.

Oh and remember there was huge speculation he would be in Luca's movie, about one of Dylan's albums (not a bio pic).  So I thought maybe that was happening, but than we hear about this news today!!

[tracyrcat]

A little more info. The fact that Dylan is involved, that makes its credibility go up considerably. That he wants this to be made and is going to be involved, so great to hear. And exciting to hear in the future who the rest of the cast is.


“It starts at 19 when he arrives in New York City,” a source familiar with the film tells Rolling Stone. “And also heavily involves the rest of the rest of the folk scene at the time.”

Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, the then-hospitalized Woody Guthrie and other key figures of the scene will all be characters in the movie, according to the source. Bob Dylan’s camp has given its blessing to the project and is actively involved, the source confirms.

www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/timothee-chalamet-bob-dylan-biopic-934265/

[Simone]

I wonder what the budget will be. Perhaps if it's under $22 million, it'll qualify as an Indie... Timmy could have both hands in the cookie jar for Oscar and Spirit Awards.

[Teenca]

Great to start a day with this news. I love biopics, so happy for Timmy to play the iconic Bob Dylan. I'm not too familiar with Dylan's art, but here is the chance to get involved in his music.

[LQ]

This sounds really intriguing.I can't wait to see Chalamet as Bob Dylan.I guess I'd better check out Ford Vs Ferrari too,I've been avoiding it tbh.

[Simone]

Ford v Ferrari is brilliant, but I'm a Christian Bale fan so, that was my lure. The film's connection to my home state of Michigan (Ford Motor Co.) was a lure too.

[Simone]

Daily Mail article link - www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7858865/Timothee-Chalamet-set-play-Bob-Dylan-director-James-Mangold-Going-Electric.html

The 'electric Dylan' controversy started in 1965 when he released his fifth album Bringing It All Back Home, with all of the songs on the first side of that album featuring an electric band and the b-side featuring acoustic.

He performed his first live rock set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, which was received by a chorus of boos from the crowd.

[Deleted]

I know it's a bit early to speculate, but where do you think this movie will be filmed?

[Simone]

Maybe New York City? Those were his formative years starting in 1960.

I found this per Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan

In May 1960, Dylan dropped out of college at the end of his first year. In January 1961, he traveled to New York City to perform there and visit his musical idol Woody Guthrie,[29] who was seriously ill with Huntington's disease in Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital.[30] Guthrie had been a revelation to Dylan and influenced his early performances. Describing Guthrie's impact, he wrote: "The songs themselves had the infinite sweep of humanity in them... [He] was the true voice of the American spirit. I said to myself I was going to be Guthrie's greatest disciple."[31] As well as visiting Guthrie in hospital, Dylan befriended Guthrie's protégé Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Much of Guthrie's repertoire was channeled through Elliott, and Dylan paid tribute to Elliott in Chronicles: Volume One.[32]

From February 1961, Dylan played at clubs around Greenwich Village, befriending and picking up material from folk singers there, including Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil, Odetta, the New Lost City Ramblers and Irish musicians the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.[33] On April 11, Dylan commenced a two-week engagement at Gerde's Folk City, supporting John Lee Hooker.[34] New York Times critic Robert Shelton first considered Dylan in a review of Izzy Young's production for WRVR of a live twelve-hour Hootenanny on July 29, 1961: "Among the newer promising talents deserving mention are a 20-year-old latter-day Guthrie disciple named Bob Dylan, with a curiously arresting mumbling, country-steeped manner." This was Dylan's first radio performance.[35] In September, Shelton boosted Dylan's career with an enthusiastic review of his performance at Gerde's Folk City.[36] That month, Dylan played harmonica on folk singer Carolyn Hester's third album. This brought him to the attention of the album's producer, John Hammond,[37] who signed Dylan to Columbia Records.[38]

Additionally, it seems the the title of the new movie came from a Wikipedia section:

Going electric
Main articles: Electric Dylan controversy and Folk rock
Dylan's late March 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home was another leap,[84] featuring his first recordings with electric instruments, under producer Tom Wilson's guidance.[85] The first single, "Subterranean Homesick Blues", owed much to Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business";[86] its free association lyrics described as harking back to the energy of beat poetry and as a forerunner of rap and hip-hop.[87] The song was provided with an early video, which opened D. A. Pennebaker's cinéma vérité presentation of Dylan's 1965 tour of Great Britain, Dont Look Back.[88] Instead of miming, Dylan illustrated the lyrics by throwing cue cards containing key words from the song on the ground. Pennebaker said the sequence was Dylan's idea, and it has been imitated in music videos and advertisements.[89]

The second side of Bringing It All Back Home contained four long songs on which Dylan accompanied himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica.[90] "Mr. Tambourine Man" became one of his best-known songs when the Byrds recorded an electric version that reached number one in the US and UK.[91][92] "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" were two of Dylan's most important compositions.[90][93]

In 1965, headlining the Newport Folk Festival, Dylan performed his first electric set since high school with a pickup group featuring Mike Bloomfield on guitar and Al Kooper on organ.[94] Dylan had appeared at Newport in 1963 and 1964, but in 1965 met with cheering and booing and left the stage after three songs. One version has it that the boos were from folk fans whom Dylan had alienated by appearing, unexpectedly, with an electric guitar. Murray Lerner, who filmed the performance, said: "I absolutely think that they were booing Dylan going electric."[95] An alternative account claims audience members were upset by poor sound and a short set. This account is supported by Kooper and one of the directors of the festival, who reports his recording proves the only boos were in reaction to the MC's announcement that there was only enough time for a short set.[96][97]

Nevertheless, Dylan's performance provoked a hostile response from the folk music establishment.[98][99] In the September issue of Sing Out!, Ewan MacColl wrote: "Our traditional songs and ballads are the creations of extraordinarily talented artists working inside disciplines formulated over time ...'But what of Bobby Dylan?' scream the outraged teenagers ... Only a completely non-critical audience, nourished on the watery pap of pop music, could have fallen for such tenth-rate drivel."[100] On July 29, four days after Newport, Dylan was back in the studio in New York, recording "Positively 4th Street." The lyrics contained images of vengeance and paranoia,[101] and it has been interpreted as Dylan's put-down of former friends from the folk community—friends he had known in clubs along West 4th Street.[102]

[Deleted]

Thanks for the info, Simone. It'd definitely be convenient for him if they filmed it in NYC. I have a web site saved that gives filming locations and dates for shows and movies. If I found out he's filming in NYC (and if I lived there lol) I'd definitely try to go. lol

[Simone]

At this point in Timmy's career, and this particular project, might be very tight and high security. I worked as an extra on a film once and it was top secret, not listed on those websites, and they even used a silly obscure title to throw off looky loos. Security was crazy. It was a fun experience though.


I wonder if Lily-Rose will have a part in Going Electric. Bob had a lot of lady friends/wives.