Remember the “young John Lennon” film written by Matt Greenhalgh, the first-time feature-length screenwriter who penned the Ian Curtis/Joy Division biopic, “Control”?
Well apparently it’s actually moving forward (almost a year to the day it was announced). Once titled “Lennon,” and now called “Nowhere Boy,” now has a director attached, visual artist Sam Taylor-Wood, according to the Hollywood reporter.
Produced by U.K. company Ecosse Film, the film will focus on Lennon’s lonely childhood/teenage years and then ensuing journey to becoming a young rock icon. Casting is starting as we speak, but no one has been announced to play Lennon, McCartney or any of the rest of the members of the Fab Four. Ecosse and finance house HanWay films will try and get buyers to pay attention during the Toronto Film Festival.
Expect the Beatles, but expect key women. Female roles will be pivotal to the movie says the first-time feature director. “The women in John’s early life truly shaped who he became,” said the female director, Taylor-Wood, “and the strengths and weaknesses of their relationships are central to this film.”
We didn’t love “Control,” but it had strong intentions and there’s certainly been many a way worse biopic, so we’ll be cautiously optimistic about this one.
The U.K Daily Mail (cue grain of salt) says that Kate Winslet is one of the actresses the director wants to meet for the role of Lennon’s mum and Emily Watson is apparently one she would like to see play his Aunt. Taylor-Wood has worked with the Pet Shop Boys and Elton John on various projects and her debut short film “Love You More,” featured music by the Buzzcocks.