Timothée Chalamet showcased his singing abilities in the newly released trailer for “A Complete Unknown,” directed by James Mangold. This biographical drama centers on the life of Bob Dylan.
The fresh footage features Chalamet performing “Girl From the North Country” as he makes his way to New York from Minnesota. He begins to develop a relationship with fellow folk artist Joan Baez, portrayed by Monica Barbaro. In a memorable scene, he comments on her songs while lounging in bed, saying, “Your songs are like an oil painting at the dentist’s office,” to which Baez retorts, “You’re kind of an asshole, Bob.”
The trailer also captures a moment from the 1963 Monterey Folk Festival, where Dylan and Baez perform together. A romantic tension arises with the introduction of Sylvie Russo, played by Elle Fanning, a fictional take on Dylan’s then-girlfriend Suze Rotolo, who is recognized from the cover of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.”
As Dylan grows increasingly frustrated with being seen solely as the voice behind “Blowin’ in the Wind,” he embraces a new sound by switching to an electric guitar for “Like a Rolling Stone.” This shift ignites controversy among fans, with some celebrating the change while others view it as a betrayal of folk music.
The first trailer, which includes Chalamet’s rendition of Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” was released by Searchlight Pictures in late July following numerous leaked paparazzi photos from the film’s set.
In an interview with Variety, several Dylan experts expressed their cautious optimism regarding “A Complete Unknown,” particularly commending Chalamet’s interpretation of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” KG Miles, an author known for his works on Dylan, noted, “Does he nail the voice? God, you could be picky about it. But he does it seriously well. He gets across the passion and the soul in Bob Dylan’s voice without making it sound like karaoke.”
The screenplay for “A Complete Unknown” was penned by Mangold and Jay Cocks, based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book “Dylan Goes Electric!” The cast also includes Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, P. J. Byrne as Harold Leventhal, Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie, Dan Fogler as Albert Grossman, and Will Harrison as Bob Neuwirth, among others.
The film is produced by Fred Berger, Alex Heineman, Peter Jaysen, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, as well as Chalamet and Mangold. The new trailer can be viewed online.