After a long time in development with lots of lead actor rumors that were never close to being true, a biopic on celebrated singer Jeff Buckley is now moving ahead.
Jake Scott, progeny of Ridley, is now set to helm the picture. And if you’re wondering, “Who’s Jake Scott?” you’ve likely seen the music videos he’s done for Cypress Hill, Tori Amos, U2, The Cranberries and probably most famously, “<a href="Everybody Hurts” for R.E.M. More recently, he was behind the camera for “Welcome to the Rileys,” the Kristen Stewart and James Gandolfini drama that played to good reviews.
If you don’t know the story of Jeff Buckley, you must have been living under a rock or not born in the 1990s (in which case, you’re forgiven). But essentially, Buckley generated huge buzz in New York City playing clubs around town, singing songs in a variety of genres and styles, landing him a record deal. He released his first and only complete album, “Grace,” in 1994, and while it wasn’t a chart topper, it was a critical smash. Buckley toured relentlessly and in 1996 started working on his followup “Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk,” recorded in various sessions as he workshopped the material with live performances both with a band and solo. Unfortunately, he would die tragically in the spring of 1997 when, while swimming in the Wolf River Harbor, he would be pulled under by the wake of a boat and drowned.
The film will use David Browne‘s book “Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley,” as a resource and will have a script by Ryan Jaffe (“The Rocker“) with full access to Buckley’s catalog of music. The plan is to mount the picture this fall — so let the casting speculation begin! And how much you want to bet the film will end with “Hallelujah” over the credits? [Deadline]
