From Biggie Smalls to...Miles Davis? George Tillman Jr., who directed last year's underrated Dwayne Johnson thriller, Faster, is set to helm Miles, a biopic of the legendary jazz musician, who in my personal opinion is the greatest of all-time. My dad used to swear by Miles Davis' music, and I still hold a number of his CDs here at the crib. Tillman has experience with making a musical biopic already, helming the Biggie Smalls flick, Notorious, a few years ago.
Based loosely on Dark Magus: The Jekyll and Hyde Life of Miles Davis from Miles' son Gregory Davis, the first draft of the script has already been worked out by Isaac Fergusson, and promises to not pull any punches on the musician's roller coaster life, which saw him at the forefront of a number of genres during the course of his over 50 year career. If you've never had a chance to listen to his amazing Kind of Blue(the highest selling jazz album ever), then do your ears a favor and do so now.
The only sad thing is this might spell the death of the Miles Davis flick Don Cheadle had been planning, with Herbie Hancock providing the soundtrack. Both have the support of the Davis Estate, so maybe something can be worked out because I'd kill to see Cheadle in the starring role. [THR]
