Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan movie “Going Electric” is not dead, despite rumors of the contrary that often float around social media. It’s been almost three years since the project was first announced in early 2020 with “Ford v Ferrari” and “Walk the Line” filmmaker James Mangold attached. The director moved on to direct “Indiana Jones 5” as the Bob Dylan project started and stopped throughout the pandemic. Chalamet told Variety as part of his “Bones and All” cover story that “Going Electric” is heading in a “positive direction.”
“I haven’t stopped preparing, which has been one of the greatest gifts for me,” Chalamet said. “It’s been a wonderful experience getting to dive into that world, whether we get to make it or not. But without giving anything away — because I don’t want to beat anyone to the punch, and obviously things have to come together officially — the winds that are blowing are blowing in a very positive direction.”
Chalamet would say nothing more about the fate of “Going Electric,” but he implied it’s far from dead. Before Chalamet gets the potential chance to flex his Bob Dylan vocals, he’ll first show the world his singing voice as Willy Wonka in Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Wonka” musical. Chalamet has at least seven musical numbers in the film.
“That was something I was very excited to jump into right away,” Chalamet said, adding that “Paddington” director Paul King “built a literal dance studio in one of the lots at Leavesden in London at Warner Bros.” to help him train.
During the pandemic in fall 2020, Chalamet escaped his hometown of New York City and stayed at an Airbnb in Woodstock to get closer to Dylan’s orbit.
“It’s not like I’m suffering from lack of connection otherwise,” Chalamet told GQ magazine at the time, “but it just really feels like I’m connecting to something here.”
If “Going Electric” does go into production, it won’t be until next year at the earliest. Chalamet is currently balancing “Dune: Part 2” filming with his “Bones and All” press tour.
