Breaking news from Deadline will have all of the Jimi Hendrix fans rejoicing! Legendary Pictures will be producing a biopic of the musician’s life. While this was a planned project four years ago, it was delayed due to the lack of a full agreement with the Hendrix estate. But now it looks like the film is going to happen with the cooperation of his estate, which means the filmmakers will have the rights to his songs. And with Paul Greengrass attached (who directed Captain Phillips and two films from the Bourne franchise), it’s sure to be a film to keep an eye out for.
While a movie about Jimi Hendrix, called Jimi: All is By My Side, did come out in 2013, it was essentially unauthorized. Because it was not approved by the Hendrix estate, the filmmakers weren’t allowed to use his songs or even depict a lot of the events from his life. Despite it being written and directed by John Ridley, who won an Oscar for adapting the screenplay for 12 Years a Slave, the aforementioned conflicts weakened the film’s chances of being a memorable Hendrix movie.
This new Hendrix film already sounds promising, especially with the attachment of Greengrass and screenwriter Scott Silver (8 Mile, The Fighter). With Greengrass’ filmography filled with action thrillers, it’s an interesting project for him to take on, and will definitely show another side to his directing. No actor has been attached to play Hendrix yet, but according to Deadline, Anthony Mackie (most recently portraying Falcon in the Marvel films) is a name floating around as a possible incarnation of Jimi Hendrix. And with Mackie showcasing his talent through the increasing amount of films he’s starring in, that would definitely be a good choice.
No release date or year has been announced yet for the film, but numerous producers and executive producers have been attached to the project. So don’t worry, Hendrix fans. This film looks like it will be happening, and it sounds like it’s going to be a faithful biopic.