Well, this is exciting. According to a new report, Martin Scorsese is teaming up with Apple for his next project, which is reportedly an untitled biopic about The Grateful Dead.
Scorsese will direct/produce the flick, and according to insiders, Jonah Hill has already signed on to play the group’s frontman, Jerry Garcia. He’ll also join as a producer.
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski are writing the script. They received a lot of love from critics for writing American Crime Story: The People vs O.J. Simpson.
While its unknown what will be covered in the film, the story of the group goes back to the band’s formation in the Bay Area amid the rise of the psychedelic counterculture of the ’60s. They continued to record albums and conduct tours where Deadhead fans would follow them throughout the years all over the country for lengthy rave-like jam sessions. The good times came to an end when band leader Jerry Garcia died in 1995, though surviving members have done their best to carry on.
Apple has rights to use the band’s musical catalogue in the film, so it looks like all systems are working here.
As some of you may remember, Hill and Scorsese previously worked together on The Wolf of Wall Street, so they should be familiar with each other.
No word on when production is expected to begin, but we’ll keep you posted.
