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'Notorious' Director Hired to Helm Biopic on Jazz Musician Miles Davis

by Ethan Anderton
November 9, 2011
Source: Risky Biz

After directing a biopic on the late hip-hop artist Notorious B.I.G. with the aptly titled film Notorious, director George Tillman, Jr. is slated to bring another influential musician's life story to the big screen. Risky Biz reports the filmmaker has been hired to develop and direct a film about iconic jazz musician Miles Davis, a biopic with the unpredictable title of Miles. Loosely based on his son Gregory Davis' book Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde of Miles Davis, the film will focus on the musician's rise to fame, collaborations with legends like John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk, and his struggles with drug addition.

Ged Dickinson and Nick Davis Raynes will produce the film and the latter says:

“Our intention is to make a feature film that will appeal beyond the worldwide audience of Miles Davis die-hard fans, to also include those who don't know the first thing about the man, and introduce new ears to his music. In much the same way that Walk The Line and Ray were able to open the world's eyes to the life stories of Johnny Cash and Ray Charles, respectively, we want to make a film that will do the same justice for Miles Davis. Miles, in his fifty-year career as a musician, transcends time, space and race."

After playing Davis in the HBO film The Rat Pack, actor Don Cheadle has been trying to get a biopic on the musician off the ground for years now, and he even planned on producing and directing the film himself. However, that project still hasn't come to fruition. But perhaps Tillman will be interested in wrangling Cheadle's talents for this film and the two can bring their passion for Davis together for a definitive and collaborative biopic. It's going to be hard for Cheadle to do anything otherwise since the film has the full support of Gregory Davis who will also act as a consultant on the film. But if Cheadle ends up not getting involved with the project, then who else might be able to take on the role? My vote goes to Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Related categories: Development, Movie News

Julian Lai

I think Don Cheadle will be fantastic for the role. Also read some where a while ago that Snoop Dogg had always to do a similar project, and thought that will be an interesting choice if Tillman can wrangle an once-in-a-lifetime type performance from him. Either way, having read Miles Davis's autobiography, the man has been through some seriously dark times, it will be an incredible story - darker and more intense than Ray or Walk the Line (in my humble opinion).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQoJo81lujk Crapola

Would love to see it, just hope they make it good, he pushed and experimented so much that we are still catching up now. He also painted too, from the interviews I've watched with him, he seemed super intense.
http://www.commentdiraisje.com Hicham

Actually, Don Cheadle played Sammy Davis Jr on "The rat pack", not Miles Davis. But still, i think he would be awesome in this role. Also, i'm still waiting for a Jaco Pastorius Biopic...
Markysri

I agree with Crapola, check out his interviews on YouTube, the man was truly waaaay ahead of his time. The funniest interview is the one with Davis and young Brian Gumbel. It was almost like Gumbel didn't know what he was getting himself into; Miles is so damn cool in that interview too. Whoever does get the role, if it's a good script, it should be an epic performance. The man's life has impacted music on so many different levels...
Derby

"It's going to be hard for Cheadle to do anything otherwise since the film has the full support of Gregory Davis who will also act as a consultant on the film." This is not correct. Cheadle's film has the backing of the Miles Davis estate, which runs the Miles Davis business.