The Allman Brothers Band To Be Subject Of Rock Biopic From ‘The Notebook’ & ‘John Q’ Director Nick Cassavetes

Andreas Wiseman
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Filmmaker Nick Cassavetes and Sunset Blvd Films are developing a movie about iconic 70s rock group The Allman Brothers Band.

Cassavetes, known for box office successes John Q, The Notebook and The Other Woman, will write and direct the film based on Scott Freeman’s book.

The Untitled Allman Brothers biopic will revisit the tale of Gregg and Duane Allman, two brothers raised by a single mother, whose shared love for blues and R&B music evolved into a career marked by platinum-selling records, sold-out stadium concerts, a marriage to Hollywood royalty (Cher) and a relationship with president Jimmy Carter.

The feature will tell of the brothers’ difficult childhood, their impressive self-education in the world of Southern blues and R&B, their unsuccessful early musical incarnations and their triumph as they rose to great wealth and success. It will explore Gregg’s marriage to Cher and his commitment to helping Jimmy Carter win the White House and chronicle the band’s dissolution and triumphant re-emergence as one of the strongest live groups on tour. The band, known for hits such as Ramblin’ Man, Jessica, Blue Sky and Melissa, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

“I grew up a huge fan of The Allman Brothers,” Cassavetes told us. “They had a profound influence on the music culture in America and I’m honored to be able to have an opportunity to tell their story.”

Sunset Blvd Films President Len Fico added: “Nick brings passion, perceptive and integrity to this multi-dimensional saga. Beyond creating music that became a cultural touchstone, the Allmans’ story is one of tragic death, betrayal, drug and alcohol use and eventually exoneration and redemption. Nick’s abilities to bring flawed but empathic characters to the screen makes him the only logical choice for the Allmans’ story.”

Fico will be producing alongside Julie R. Snyder (Above Suspicion) and Paul Johansson (God Is A Bullet).

The Allman’s story was of course to feature heavily in 2014 film Midnight Rider: The Gregg Allman Story, which notoriously was shut down mid-shoot following the death of camerawoman Sarah Jones. The death prompted various investigations, with several yet to be resolved, and charges were brought against multiple producers on the movie.

Cassavetes, son of film legends John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, is currently editing his latest film, God Is A Bullet, which stars Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, Game of Thrones alum Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Mad Men’s January Jones.

Sunset Blvd Films is a division of the Great American Music Company, an LA-based independent record label. Founder Len Fico is a music veteran whose career includes a stint at Island Records as Vice President of A&R.

Nick Cassavetes is repped by WME’s Danny Greenberg and LBI Entertainment’s Chuck Pacheco. Sunset Blvd Films & Len Fico is repped by Neville Johnson, Esq at Johnson & Johnson. Snyder is repped by Jennifer Gray from Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman.

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