It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic but in an interview with Parade, the actor provided updates on the project previously described as a “cradle-to-grave, historically accurate depiction of who he was” rather than a traditional biopic.
“It’s been a long time coming, but we’re working on the script right now,” the actor added. “I think it will happen. I love Miles, but you have to take everything he says with a grain of salt. He would tell a long story, and someone would go, ‘That’s amazing. Did that happen?’ He’d reply, ‘I don’t f—ing know. You figure it out.’ He wasn’t interested in what you thought about him. He was like, ‘I’m about the music. Deal with that.’ Capturing the essence of that man is a challenge.”
A separate interview from YRB — with Erin Davis and Vince Wilburn Jr. (Davis’ son and nephew) — further expands on the development on the long-gestating project.
“We’re in the process of OK’ing the script with a new writer,” Wilburn Jr. notes. “Don didn’t like the other writer that was attached to the movie, so there’s a new writer named Steven Vegelman that Don’s writing with. Once is the script is OK’d by the family, then we go into production.”
Wilburn Jr. also interestingly adds that legendary jazz pianist, “Herbie Hancock’s going to score it.” Hancock involvement makes a lot sense though — the iconic musician was part of the Miles Davis Quintet after being personally recruited by Davis who saw his great potential. The two then developed a fruitful collaborative relationship which began with 1963’s Seven Steps To Heaven and continued on for many years to come. Cheadle, himself an accomplished jazz saxophonist, would also have the connections and know-how when it came to the musical side of a film on Davis.
Cheadle’s reported honest, accurate depiction of the often enigmatic jazz legend sounds like it’s big and attractive enough to get off its feet but who honestly knows these days. Either way, it does sound like it’s not too far off, but it all likely depends on financing. [MilesDavis]