The Miles Davis Movie: Don Cheadle Stirs Up Buzz With Comments About His Miles Davis Film

Of all the news to come out of Don Cheadle’s interview with the Wall Street Journal last week about his Miles Davis Film, his comment about the movie being ‘a gangster pic’ has attracted the most attention.

Gangster like ‘Goodfellas’ gangster? No, most likely not – let’s hope.

More like the modern slang ‘gangsta’, which I assume Cheadle means in reference to the tone, the style and the many changes happening in popular music around 1979, which is where the Miles Davis Movie is set.

Between the ‘gangster pic’ comment and also referring to the forthcoming Miles Davis Movie as ‘cubist’ in style, the film-loving and Miles Davis-loving segments across the internet were mightily confused and intrigued — but still happy to hear an update from the busy Cheadle.

I’m still excited about a film about Miles Davis being produced – with the immensely talented Cheadle in the lead role – but whatever narrative Cheadle has conjured up to make this thing as opposite as humanly possible from a traditional biopic has me slightly unsure how it all ends.

That can be the case with any story someone wants to put on film; sometimes it works, sometimes it’s a disaster.

Is it the safer play to just bang out a traditional biopic like Ray? Sure, but only if it’s going to be as good as Ray. So for having the courage to mix things up creatively, I applaud Cheadle. It might not be how I’d draw it up, but I’ll for sure be there when the lights go down.

I still think a comprehensive documentary (calling Ken Burns) could do the trick; we’re talking six hours! Even a feature doc, like Tom DiCillo’s recent Doors film, When You’re Strange, might work fine.

But the chance to watch a talented actor like Cheadle jump into a role as weighty as this one is hard to pass up. Still, they might make a total mess of it with a kooky narrative, which would be a bummer, or the thing might shine brightly and be a big hit across the board.

It’s hard to know what Miles would have wanted in a film about his life, even though Cheadle has said, “It’s a movie that Miles Davis would have wanted to star in.”

I can’t imagine Miles Davis telling someone to make sure the thing is ‘cubist’ if and when they decide to make a movie about his life. But if the movie has attitude and toughness and cool movie-type-stuff going on, then sure, why wouldn’t Miles Davis not be happy with a project like that.

This thing has been on a slow burn forever, but at least we have movement, we have information to discuss. At this point, the stories about the failed attempts to get a movie made about Miles, the many people who dream of getting a movie made about Miles and Don Cheadle’s chance to bring it all home might make a good documentary all it’s own.

Don Cheadle plans ‘gangster’ film about Miles Davis

Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis movie will be a ‘gangster’ film

Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis Movie Will Be a Cubist Gangster Pic, Whatever That Means

We May Get Don Cheadle’s Cubist Miles Davis Picture Soon

Don Cheadle Says His Miles Davis Biopic Will Be A Gangster Pic

The Miles Davis Movie: Don Cheadle Says They Have A Studio Offer; Describes Movie’s Style As ‘Cubist’

The Miles Davis Movie: Don Cheadle Says They Have A Studio Offer; Describes Movie’s Style As ‘Cubist’

With 2012 knocking on the door, we leave 2011 with a blast of exciting news from Don Cheadle regarding the Miles Davis Movie. Here’s the Cheadle q&a with John Jurgensen from Friday’s Wall Street Journal:

You’ve been midwifing a Miles Davis movie for years. Is that baby still alive?

It is. It’s the longest in utero in the history of babies. It’s three to five years average for most movies to get made, but often it’s 10 or 15 years. This is the kind of movie the business 10 years ago may have leapt at. But now, you don’t really see movies like this. We have a studio offer and we’re trying to back into a budget number, like we always have to do, without gutting the piece.

It’s been reported that a director has been attached to a competing biopic.

That’s something I just heard about in the last month. Look, if the world is ready to have two Miles Davis movies, fantastic. He should have eight or 10 of them.

It’s such a struggle to secure life rights and music rights that it’s hard to believe two pictures about him could actually get made.

Well, that’s not going to happen, clearly. We’re working with the family and we have all the music. There’s another period of music, about three or four years [that the other project appears to have rights to]. These estates are sometimes bifurcated. We have what we need for our film. Look, God bless. If there’s another quality movie about this legend, that’s great.

I don’t think anyone’s going to be making the kind of movie we’re making. It’s not a biopic, per se. It’s a gangster pic. It’s a movie that Miles Davis would have wanted to star in. Without throwing history away, we’re trying to shuffle it and make it more cubist.

The bulk of it takes place in ’79, in a period where he actually wasn’t playing. But we traverse a lot of it his life, but it’s not a cradle to grave story.

Lots of good stuff!

So now we know when the film is set – 1979. But according to Cheadle they bounce around a lot. The opposite of a traditional biopic, but still – hopefully – touching on important moments in the jazz icon’s life.

I like this quote from Cheadle: “This is the kind of movie the business 10 years ago may have leapt at. But now, you don’t really see movies like this.”

Avant-garde movies? Movies that are good? Because there is a lot of garbage out there today and any chance we can get a good movie is fine by me.

But this quote confuses me: “It’s not a biopic, per se. It’s a gangster pic. It’s a movie that Miles Davis would have wanted to star in.”

‘Gangster pic?’ What? If ever we needed a follow-up question. Is this Miles Davis meets ‘Goodfellas’? I’m intrigued and confused all at once! [Ed. Note: Obviously it's not 'gangster' like that.... Not in the 'Godfather' sense of the word.]

He also seems to imply that the George Tillman Jr. movie will not have access to the bulk of Miles’ most famous music – just a small period of music he recorded over a 3 or 4 year period (most likely later in his career.)

However, Cheadle is all for as many Miles Davis biopics as humanly possible.

The Miles Davis Movie: Will Cameras Roll For Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis Film In 2012?

Maybe. Maybe not.

The Miles Davis Movie is listed on IMDB with a 2013 date. I assume that’s the release year. So that means they’d have to shoot sometime in 2012 to get the movie out the following year. Iron Man 3 also has a 2013 listing, and apparently filming commences May 2012, so already the new year is shaping up to be busy for Don Cheadle.

His schedule also includes House of Lies on Showtime, which premieres Jan. 8.

Plenty going on for Cheadle, which is good, but where the Miles Davis Movie fits in I’m curious to know. To my knowledge there has been no announcement regarding funding by a studio or independent film company, so with no financing there is nothing happening.

But that doesn’t mean a deal hasn’t been signed. I’m just assuming.

As for the other Miles Davis Biopic, the project to be directed by George Tillman and based on the Gregory Davis book, “Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde Life of Miles Davis,” it’s hard to know what their time line is.

There was a first draft written by Isaac Fergusson, but Tillman and producers Nick Davis Raynes and Ged Dickersin are further developing the script.

The Cheadle project seems to be waiting to connect the final pieces between financing and scheduling, while the Tillman biopic appears to be in the early stages. But things could ramp up quickly.

Still, one project has their Miles Davis, while the other is no doubt in the process of finding their own Miles Davis.

It’s anyone’s guess who Tillman Jr. has in mind for the lead role. Maybe there is a big name out there, or perhaps they go the unknown route. But whoever is selected to play Davis will quickly be sized up alongside Cheadle.

Cheadle has opened up this year about the roadblocks in getting his Miles Davis movie off the ground, but he seems to have lost none of his enthusiasm for the opportunity to portray the jazz legend.

Based on nothing but pure conjecture, I think the filming of Cheadle’s film will get pushed to 2013. Now, if a studio swoops in, or wealthy producer, then all bets are off and it becomes only a matter of Cheadle finding the time in his date book.

Last month I mentioned that Director Antoine Fuqua’s name had been associated with the Miles Davis Biopic. In an interview last month with Spain-based online newspaper ABC.es, Erin Davis, son of Miles, said that Antoine Fuqua is the director. If he is going to direct, news has yet to be confirmed across mainstream airwaves – as far as I know. And this would mean Cheadle has relinquished the directors’ chair to just focus on playing Miles Davis.

Meanwhile, the new year could bring lots of movement on the Tillman biopic, specifically naming an actor to play Davis. Getting the right actor on board can go a long way to establishing momentum for the film and start to generate buzz.

There has to be a feeling of wanting to be first out of the gate with their Miles Davis film. Tillman’s film is gearing up to be a more accessible, Hollywood biopic (like “Ray”), while Cheadle’s is set to be unconventional in its narrative — this differential between the two competing Miles Davis biopics should help keeping audiences jazzed for not one, but two, movies about Miles Davis.

The Miles Davis Movie: Don Cheadle Mum On The Other Miles Davis Movie

Last month brought news that director George Tillman Jr. will take the reins on a biopic about Miles Davis. Tentatively titled ‘Miles,’ the film is being developed by the late trumpeter’s son, Gregory, who based the project on his book – “Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde Life of Miles Davis.”

Of course there is the ‘other’ Miles Davis Movie, actor Don Cheadle’s long-gestating project that comes with the blessing of the Miles Davis Estate (Erin Davis, Vince Wilburn Jr.) and all the requisite buzz surrounding the talented Cheadle taking on the challenge of portraying the jazz legend.

My other Miles Davis-related blog – The Miles Davis Movie – debuted back in March 2007 around the time Cheadle joined the project, so that gives you an idea of how long this particular attempt to get the Miles Davis story on the big screen has been in the works.

It was never going to be easy for a variety of reasons, but Cheadle’s involvement as star and director appeared to be the final, and most vital, ingredient to get the movie made.

So here we are with just a few weeks left in 2011 and no real idea of when the Cheadle project is set to start rolling.

As for the new biopic, I have not seen any public comments by Cheadle, or members of the estate, about the Gregory Davis/George Tillman Jr. film.

And to be honest, they really don’t have to say a damn thing. Sure, you wonder if there is pressure on Cheadle to get his film shot and released first, but his schedule looks mighty busy these days, so finding the time – along with financing! – is going to be tricky.

It’s not as if there cannot be two films about Miles Davis, but it was already going to be a tough sell to a general audience for one film, and two could be difficult. The fact that one is a more approachable, Hollywood biopic style (like “Ray”), while Cheadle’s is set to be unconventional in its narrative, might help differentiate the two as the competing Miles Davis biopics are set free into the movie-going world.

The trump card for Cheadle’s project is – Cheadle. He is a well-known, well-respected actor who most believe is perfect to play Miles Davis, and are confident will deliver a knock-out performance. And that’s knowing going in it’s not going to be easy. It would not be easy for anyone to play the role of the jazz icon.

It’s anyone’s guess who Tillman Jr. has in mind for the lead role. Maybe there is a big name out there, or perhaps they go the unknown route. But whoever is selected to play Davis will quickly be sized up alongside Cheadle.

We shall see. As for now, all is quiet as we roll merrily along into 2012.

The Miles Davis Movie(S): Two Movies, One Hope To Get It Right

In the world of All Things Miles Davis, it’s big news about producer Nick Davis Raynes and director George Tillman Jr. all set to film a biopic of Miles Davis. The news also puts Don Cheadle’s long-gestating project in the spotlight; with Cheadle’s commitment to the Miles Davis Estate-approved movie way back in 2007, his endeavor has held a nice, first-mover advantage with buzz and anticipation among film and jazz fans.

But now things are getting interesting.

What makes the competing projects so intriguing are the complete opposite approaches the filmmakers plan to tell the Miles Davis story. Raynes has said they are developing a traditional biopic, similar to “Ray.” This goes in total contrast to Cheadle’s plan, which is to construct an unconventional narrative that follows Davis over the course of one day.

‘Producer Nick Davis Raynes said they were aiming for a film in the same vein as the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” and “Ray,” writes Andrew Pulver in The Guardian. Said Raynes: “We want to make a film that will do the same justice for Miles Davis.”

Safe to say the Tillman/Raynes biopic is in development with no start date for any kind of production. I doubt there’s even a script or screenwriter at this point. I also have no clue if any funds have been secured to pay for the movie endeavor. But they seem ready to make it happen.

My personal taste always leans towards a biopic like “Ray.” It tends to be an easy path to go down where following a story (especially a real-life story with lots to tell) is concerned, but most importantly the movie has to be good. And “Ray” is a good movie, so the biopic blueprint works.

I do want to add that I have been totally on board with whatever Cheadle has up his sleeve. It might not be traditional, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining, or serve Davis’ legacy properly – on film.

But for many Miles fans, no film of any kind could ever properly capture the life and music of Miles Davis.

I agree with that as well. But I will gladly watch a 2 1/2 hour movie about Miles Davis, even if I realize it’s almost impossible to tell the whole story, A to Z. A 6-hour, Ken Burn-style documentary is my vote.

The key connection for both biopics is the music. Without securing rights to the music, neither would be worth much at all. Becasue Cheadle has the backing of the Miles Davis Estate, they seemingly did not have much trouble securing rights with Sony Music, which owns just about all of Davis’ finest recordings.

An article in JazzTimes reports that Tillman Jr. and Raynes do have access ‘to much of Miles Davis’ music,’ but it’s primarily from 1963-1977.

That’s a key point, because that era does not include many of Davis’ most celebrated works. But we’ll see if their film will utilize work from Kind of Blue, Miles Ahead and so on.

The other key part here is the lead actor. Don Cheadle has been attached to star as Davis since 2007. And even though he has been busy playing War Machine in the “Iron Man” films, to go along with other acting and producing commitments, everyone still knows he is one day going to suit up as Miles Davis.

It will be interesting to see if Raynes/Tillman Jr. go the unknown actor way, or find an established name to play the jazz icon. My feeling is that a relative unknown might work best because Cheadle already fits the bill as Miles pretty darn well from the established Hollywood actor ranks. And I cannot even think of anyone else right now besides Cheadle who could work for the part.

There hasn’t been any comment from Cheadle or the Miles Davis Estate that I have seen regarding the other biopic, but it will be interesting to see how the news impacts Cheadle’s plans in getting his movie made.

The Other Miles Davis Biopic Makes A Big Move

via cinemablend.com

Soul Food and Men of Honor director George Tillman Jr., who captured Notorious B.I.G.’s life story in the 2009 biopic Notorious, will take a swing at another musical icon when he tackles Miles Davis in a planned biopic. Tentatively titled Miles, the film is being developed by the late trumpeter’s son, Gregory, The Hollywood Reporter says.

The project is loosely based on the book “Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde Life of Miles Davis”, written by Gregory Davis. Isaac Fergusson wrote the original draft of the screenplay, but the filmmakers are further developing the script.

I discussed this project back in 2008, when Nick Davis Raynes optioned the rights to “Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde Life of Miles Davis.”

This is not the Miles Davis-estate backed project, which has Don Cheadle attached to star as the iconic jazz trumpeter.

Certainly there’s nothing wrong with two, competing Miles Davis films, but it definitely makes things interesting in terms of how fans will respond. What we have is one project (w/ Tillman) likely constructed as a more traditional biopic, whereas Cheadle’s endeavor is built on a more unique narrative that tells a story over the course of one day.

No word yet if Tillman and Raynes have an actor in mind to play Davis, but certainly there has been plenty of buzz for years about a respected and talented actor such as Don Cheadle playing the mega-role in his telling of the Miles Davis story. No doubt it will be key for Tillam to cast wisely when finding someone to play such a major, real-life figure. They could go the unknown route, or perhaps there is an actor already established who might want to take on the challenge.

It will be interesting to see how this news effects the Cheadle/Miles Davis Estate project, which up until now has leaked a few details via Cheadle about script content, but also has admitted to financial roadblocks in getting the film up and running.

I did just post an item about Antoine Fuqua being attached as the director for the Cheadle film, but there’s been no verification as far as I have seen.

The Miles Davis Movie: Is Antoine Fuqua Directing The Miles Davis Biopic?

Director Antoine Fuqua’s name has been associated for many years with the Miles Davis Biopic.

I have always figured Don Cheadle would direct the film, along with portraying the jazz legend. In March of 2007, news officially broke of Cheadle’s involvement with the project; a story in Variety noted that Cheadle would make his feature directing debut with the Miles Davis movie. A 2006 JazzTimes article pointed out that the estate had been in talks with Fuqua (along with Cheadle), but clearly Cheadle wanted to play Miles as well as direct the film, so out went the Fuqua connection.

Until now.

In an interview last month with Spain-based online newspaper ABC.es, Erin Davis, son of Miles, said that Antoine Fuqua is the director.

It’s not news the Miles Davis estate and Cheadle have been talking to Fuqua. But if he is, indeed, officially set to direct, the news has yet to be confirmed across mainstream airwaves – as far as I know.

I’ve written in the past about Cheadle possibly relinquishing directing duties and just focusing solely on portraying Miles. I even offered up some director names to get the conversation started about who people would like to see direct the Miles Davis Biopic should Cheadle exit the position.

If the comment from Davis about Fuqua is true, then looks like Cheadle is comfortable with just starring, producing and – undoubtedly – orchestrating the film’s style and narrative.

Fuqua’s IMDB page does not list the Untitled Miles Davis Biopic as a future project. However, Cheadle’s page does not list the film in his Actor file, just off to the side under Projects In Development.

It could be that without the financing set up yet – although it might be, I have no idea -, everyone wants to keep any high-profile news on the back burner. Aside from news about Herbie Hancock scoring the film and whatever inside info Cheadle reveals, it’s mostly radio silence.

I like many of Fuqua’s films, so his involvement works for me. It’s Don Cheadle’s vision, as far as I can tell, so far, so it appears if the Fuqua news is true, then the director is also comfortable with Cheadle’s unique vision for the movie.

I’d be curious to know why, in the end, Cheadle decided to relinquish the director’s chair, but with a busy schedule, perhaps concentrating on portraying a jazz icon and getting the project into production mode is quite enough.

The article with Erin Davis mentioned the film will start production next year, just as an album of Miles Davis tunes re-worked by hip-hop artists is put together. No firm details on either points, but the hip-hop angle is an interesting one and demands further examination down the road.

But it’s definitely a good thing if we are, indeed, a few steps closer to a start date for the biopic.

The Miles Davis Movie: An Offer On The Table, But No Details

No big surprise that there hasn’t been much news lately for the Miles Davis Movie. The project’s chief visionary, Don Cheadle, recently made news by joining Denzel Washington in the Robert Zemeckis drama Flight. And let’s not forget Showtime’s upcoming comedy, House of Lies, which stars Cheadle and Kristen Bell and debuts in early 2012.

Cheadle has commented about the project recently, stating back in July that the movie about Miles Davis is “going to happen,” and that the story takes place ‘over a day and a half of his life.’

The Miles Davis Movie is definitely not on a fast-track to production, that’s for sure.

While spending the past few months promoting his well-received film The Guard, Cheadle has been asked, thankfully, by a few media outlets about the status of the Miles Davis Movie. Though Cheadle has not revealed everything, even in the few blurbs we’ve seen, there has been some good info.

Negativ, an online magazine based out of Germany focused on film and media culture, recently posted a Q&A with Cheadle. At the close of the interview Cheadle does comment on the biopic.

Is it true that you are preparing a movie about Miles Davis?

I can not say much about it yet, but it’s true, we’re just stuck in the preliminary stages. We have an offer and we hope that we can lift the project.

And the offer is? Is that a studio ready to open the vault and get cameras rolling?

Is it an independent producer ready to write a big check to get the movie made?

I’m intrigued with what Cheadle has to say: “We have an offer…”

I guess an offer is better than no offer. But it looks as though nothing is signed, sealed and delivered – as Stevie Wonder would say.

The Miles Davis Movie: Why Not A Feature Documentary About Miles Davis?

I just finished watching When You’re Strange, Tom DiCillo’s feature documentary about the music and legacy of The Doors. I thought it was rather well-done and interesting. I like The Doors, so it’s no stretch for me to be a fan of the doc, which features some mighty impressive footage.

So I wonder, even with Don Cheadle’s ‘not a bio-pic’ movie about Miles Davis slowly crawling towards a production start date, is it possible to get a feature film documentary about the music and legacy of Miles Davis off the ground? And if so, who to make it happen?

Now that we know Cheadle is opting to focus his film’s narrative on an as-yet-unknown day and a half in the life of Miles Davis rather than follow the usual, Hollywood bio-pic blueprint, perhaps a comprehensive feature documentary could be produced to truly capture Davis’ life and music.

I imagine a producer or director interested in such a terrific idea would need the blessings of the Miles Davis estate and various music labels; the music is obviously the key ingredient, but previously unseen footage and assorted photo/audio content is almost a necessity in providing such a film project added importance.

Christopher Wilkinson (who along with Stephen J. Rivele were once the screenwriters on the Untitled Miles Davis Biopic) is working on the TV project The Miles Davis Documentary, which IMDB lists for a 2011 release. I’ve read the doc is headed to HBO, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

So we’ll see what Wilkinson comes up with. The producers look to have landed a host of jazz legends and other fine, musical artists to chat about Miles Davis, but hopefully there’s some rare concert footage, or old interviews with Davis, mixed in to give the doc an extra spark. But we remain excited about the upcoming project.

Nevertheless, if the powers that be running the estate that oversees the business of Miles Davis wanted to get moving on a big-time feature documentary I think it would get done.

Cheadle is having trouble finding the funds to get the cameras rolling, so why would a documentary have better luck? It might not, but I have to imagine the cost would be much less. With the exception of interviews to be filmed, everything else is the music and lots and lots of audio and video footage to be edited.

Okay, so it’d be nice to hire someone with a great voice to narrate (famous or not), but that shouldn’t break the bank.

I already offered up the feature film versus Ken Burns’ documentary debate about which is the better way to produce a Miles Davis Biopic, so maybe Ken Burns might want to look into a project about Davis for the big screen.

Then again, if Burns wanted to take a 6-hour documentary about Miles Davis to PBS I’m overjoyed with that idea. I’m also totally ready for a 5-part/10-hour HBO movie event that has the luxury of time to tell the complete story. These two options, plus the feature film doc are great ideas!

I am excited about what Cheadle has up his sleeve. Just watching Cheadle on screen portraying Davis is going to get jazz/music/films fans all worked up when this movie gets done.

But regardless of Cheadle’s final cut, I still think a comprehensive telling of the Miles Davis story is essential.

The Miles Davis Movie: “We’re struggling through, but it’s going to happen,” Says Don Cheadle

Talk of the Miles Davis Movie makes it into a recent Don Cheadle interview with New York Magazine. Between talk of his new film The Guard and his latest work as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for the environment, Cheadle delivers some words about the process of getting the Miles Davis film off the ground.

There’s been talk of a Miles Davis biopic that you’ll star in and produce for a few years now. What’s the status of that?

“It’s day by day. I actually just got off the phone with the studio executives about putting it together. It’s a difficult time to make films, especially ones that don’t have people flying or sequels or cars. So we’re grinding, you know. We’re struggling through, but it’s going to happen.”