What is Timothée Chalamet's A Complete Unknown about? Details explored as movie reveals new look

Timothée Chalamet is set to take on the iconic role of Bob Dylan in the highly anticipated biographical drama film, A Complete Unknown. Directed by James Mangold and written by Mangold and Jay Cocks, the film is based on Elijah Wald's 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!

This movie delves into the controversy surrounding Dylan's pivotal shift to electrically amplified instrumentation, a move that stirred significant debate within the music industry and among fans. With Chalamet not only starring but also producing, the film is poised to offer a compelling portrayal of this transformative period in Dylan's career.

The excitement for A Complete Unknown has been building, especially with the recent release of its teaser trailer on July 24, 2024. The film is scheduled to premiere in the United States in December 2024, followed by its release in the United Kingdom and Ireland in January 2025.

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Exploring Timothée Chalamet's A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown is set during Bob Dylan’s early life with particular emphasis on his success as a musician and subsequent controversy following his transition into the rock n roll genre from folk type of music.

The story takes place within New York City’s influential musical landscape during the early 60s period. The film traces Dylan’s journey from Minnesota as a teenager until he became famous, notably when he performed at Newport Folk Festival back in 1965.

Timothée Chalamet reportedly performs all of Dylan's songs in character. Besides charting his musical growth path, the film tries to depict those years when he changed personally and the impact he had on the socio-cultural aspect of society.

While speaking about Timothée's portrayal of Bob Dylan, Director James Mangold told The Rolling Stone in an Interview on July 24, 2024:

"I think what’s so wonderful about what Timmy is doing is that, while not answering questions about Bob, at the same time I think he does in a very poetic way, which is to suggest really empathically through his performance how one might want to make music, but one might not want to have people in your face all the time."

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Teaser trailer for A Complete Unknown

The trailer for A Complete Unknown gives a tantalizing peek into the movie’s story and look. The camera begins with Edward Norton’s character addressing a crowd, telling them about a young man who came from nowhere and released some of the best songs ever recorded. After this narrative description, Chalamet performs A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, and the audience is astonished by his talent.

The trailer then cuts to different scenes that show Dylan engaging with multiple characters, including Sylvie Russo played by Elle Fanning, as well as exploring his creative journey within the city. It expresses an era featuring everything that marked 60s music scene issues.

This short intro sets expectations of seeing a private working-class Dylan but also extends to discussing how he affected other musicians.

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More Details On A Whole Unknown

A Whole Unknown also stars Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger. Other members of the notable group are Boyd Holbrook who will play Johnny Cash, P.J. Byrne who will star as Harold Leventhal, Scoot McNairy playing Woody Guthrie, and Dan Fogler as Albert Grossman. This varied ensemble is expected to reenact Dylan’s early career figures with depth and authenticity.

This film is further boosted by its production details. Directed by James Mangold of critically acclaimed films such as Logan and Ford v Ferrari, co-written by Mangold and Jay Cocks, A Complete Unknown is set to skilfully combine storytelling skills with rich historical context.

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The movie is expected to release in late 2024/early 2025. No official release date has been announced as of this writing.