A project that was first reported in 2007 by Variety will finally see the light of day. Don Cheadle has secured financing and added Ewan McGregor and Zoe Saldana to the cast of Kill the Trumpet Player, a film about renowned trumpeter Miles Davis. Cheadle will play David and also be making his directorial debut with the project.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film will go the Lincoln route and use a few days in the life of its subject to illustrate larger points about his legacy and his music. McGregor is slated to play a writer for Rolling Stone who assists Davis after his “silent period” to take his music back, presumably from the evil record companies. Saldana will play Miles’ ex-wife, Frances Davis.
Cheadle strongly discouraged the idea that it will be a traditional biopic, saying that “This film won’t try to give a broad overview of Davis’ life and give short shrift to this man’s story… For us as creative people, the time of his life that was most interesting was the five years when he wasn’t playing, when he was silent. What was going on in his mind? And how did he come out of it and return to music?” He prepared for the role by learning to play the trumpet over the past three years, calling it a “mean instrument.”
The film is being produced by Cheadle’s own Crescendo Productions and Daniel Wagner at BiFrost. Musician Herbie Hancock is also slated to participate, presumably to provide the score. No word on which studio will be distributing the project as of yet.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, The AV Club
