Bob Dylan Fully Embraced His Role in Total Unknown Before Approving the Biopic’s Script.

Bob Dylan’s Role in the Biopic

Bob Dylan played himself in Complete Unknown before he supported the biopic script.

• READ MORE: ‘Total Unknown’ Review: Don’t Think Twice Before Watching This Brilliant Bob Dylan Biopic

Although the lead role ultimately went to Timothée Chalamet, the singer-songwriter’s impact on the film was substantial. According to producer Peter Jacen, he quickly collaborated on the script with director James Mangold.

Collaborative Efforts with James Mangold

During a conversation on the City podcast, he shared: “He met with Jim Mangold several times. At one point, they sat down and read the entire script out loud, with Jim Mangold reading all the parts, while Bob Dylan focused solely on his dialogue. Throughout this process, Dylan took notes on the script. At the conclusion of their last meeting, he signed the script and said, ‘Go with God.’

Although Dylan “didn’t have final cut,” Jacen emphasized that Dylan’s involvement was crucial.

This follows Chalamet’s earlier confirmation that Dylan reviewed the script meticulously. “Jim has Bob’s annotated script lying around somewhere,” he noted. “I’ll beg him to take this into his own hands. He will never give it to me.”

“I felt like Bob just wanted to know what I was doing,” Mangold added. “Who is this guy? Is he competent? Does he understand this? I think these are common questions everyone poses when entering into an alliance with someone.”

The Story of the Transition

The film narrates Dylan’s controversial shift from acoustic to electric guitar in the mid-’60s. Dylan served as an executive producer for the film, which is based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book, Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the Night That Split the Sixties.

He also insisted that the biopic include at least one completely inaccurate moment.

The film debuted in US cinemas on Christmas Day (25 December), followed by a UK release on 17 January.

Upon rewatching, NME awarded the movie four stars, noting: “So many performances in Complete Unknown pulsate with tense, exciting energy, whether it’s the bickering between Dylan and Baez during ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ or the way he channels the angst of a city awaiting nuclear disaster in an anti-Cold War protest song.”

“The most important (and often the most challenging) aspect of any musical film is getting the music right. And this is the key. If you’re new to Bob, you’ll leave the theater eager to explore his back catalog. If you’re already a fan, you’ll find yourself crafting playlists of lesser-known B-sides or digging into stories behind scenes you weren’t aware of. That’s why making this film was a wise—albeit crazy—idea.”

Additionally, Jacen recently revealed plans to shift focus towards films about Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett and the Mamas & The Papas’ Cass Elliott.

BBC4 also announced initiatives to celebrate Dylan’s music preceding the UK release of his album, Complete Unknown.