The tragically short career of rising star musician Jeff Buckley, probably still best known for his haunting and oft-used cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, has long been a subject of fascination for filmmakers. Now Welcome to the Rileys director Jake Scott is planning a biopic of the man and his music.
Buckley was the son of famous-yet-faulty folk star Tim Buckley and, despite being drowned by the wake of a boat when he jumped fully clothed into a river for a swim, has gone on to influence many musicians who followed him. He had an uneasy relationship with the fame his talent brought, preferring to play small venues and stay out of the spotlight.
Scott can identify with at least one element of Buckley’s life, given that he’s the son of Ridley Scott, and has long been forging his own career in his father’s chosen field. He’ll work from a script by Ryan Jaffe, which itself is based on David Browne’s book Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff Buckley. Producers Michelle Sy and Orian Williams have also bought the rights to Buckley’s son and now the big challenge will be finding someone to play the lead…