A Complete Unknown, a biographical film by James Mangold about Bob Dylan, will open in theaters December 25.
The film tells the story of Dylan’s journey from Minnesota to West Village balladeer to revolutionary folk singer, with Timothée Chalamet playing the lead role. His ascent to prominence coincides with the formation of his most personal relationships. As he becomes dissatisfied with the folk movement, he refuses to fit in and makes a controversial decision that has global cultural ramifications. Along with Jay Cocks, Mangold co-wrote the script.
Is this movie going to make it to the Troika Fall Film Festival? No, we’re not getting that it’s ready just yet. Waiters are rewarded with good things.
Mangold is skilled at creating a widely watched biopic about a musical icon. His Walk the Line film from 2005, which tells the story of Johnny Cash and June Carter, brought in over $186 million worldwide and nearly $120 million in domestic box office revenue. Reese Witherspoon won the Best Actress Oscar out of five nominations, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.
In addition, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, and Scoot McNairy appear in A Complete Unknown. The producers are Chalamet, Mangold, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Bob Bookman, Alex Heineman, Fred Berger, and Peter Jaysen.
Searchlight is no slouch for Disney when it comes to thriving at the post-Covid arthouse box office: last year, the spicy film Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, brought in $117.6 million worldwide ($34.5 million from the U.S. and Canada), and it won four Oscars, including Best Actress for Emma Stone.
Chalamet had previously received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for Call Me By Your Name, starring Luca Guadagnino. Mangold has received two Oscar nominations: one for Adapted Screenplay for co-writing Logan, and the other for Best Picture for Ford v. Ferrari.