Dreamin' Wild - What We Know So Far
In 2019, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Bill Pohlad would write and direct the musical biopic "Dreamin' Wild" for Focus Features. Previously, he wrote and directed 2014's "Love & Mercy," a biographical drama about Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson. While he only has two directing credits to his name (per IMDb), Pohlad has produced several critically and commercially successful films, including "Brokeback Mountain," "Into the Wild," "12 Years a Slave," and "Wild." In 2012, his role as a producer on "The Tree of Life" earned him an Academy Award nomination.
When "Dreamin' Wild" was announced, it was also revealed the new movie focuses on 1970s rock duo Donnie and Joe Emerson. The brothers only released one album, also titled "Dreamin' Wild," but the record went largely unnoticed after it was recorded (via Pitchfork). The Emerson brothers' debut effort was rediscovered decades later, with the single "Baby" popping up in movies and TV, like the Rashida Jones-Andy Samberg indie dramedy "Celeste & Jesse Forever" (via YouTube).
"Dreamin' Wild" features a talented ensemble cast and promises to weave a compelling tale of fame and family. Here's everything we know about the upcoming musical biopic.
What is the release date of Dreamin' Wild?
There is currently no release date set for "Dreamin' Wild." According to TheWrap, production on the Focus Features project began in October 2021 in Spokane, Washington. Since the movie is currently filming, it's likely post-production will finish in early 2022 with an eye for possibly releasing "Dreamin' Wild" in late 2022. If it does release in 2022, timing will be important because competition at the box office will be stiff next year given how many movies' release dates were pushed back because of the pandemic. Further complicating matters is Disney's recent overhaul of the studio's release calendar, which includes pushing the long-awaited "Black Panther" sequel, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," to November (via IndieWire).
"Dreamin' Wild" has awards seasons buzz written all over it, which further supports a late 2022 release date to ensure the movie is fresh in audiences' minds when nominations begin rolling out. Given Bill Pohlad's long history of financing and producing Oscar-nominated fare, the release date selected for "Dreamin' Wild" will undoubtedly be a strategic one.
Additionally, the director-producer could roll out his next movie at a film festival ahead of its wide release. Previously, "Love & Mercy" made its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival (via The Los Angeles Times). Following the movie's debut, it garnered multiple awards season nominations, including one for Paul Dano, who played a young Brian Wilson, at the 2016 Golden Globes.
Who is in the cast of Dreamin' Wild?
An October report from Variety revealed the star-studded lineup for "Dreamin' Wild." Headlining the project is "Ocean's Eleven" alum Casey Affleck, who plays the adult incarnation of musician Donnie Emerson and serves as an executive producer. The younger Affleck brother won the 2017 Oscar for best leading actor for his "Manchester by the Sea" performance (via Vanity Fair). Since then, the actor has kept a low profile. Per his IMDb profile, he's appeared in smaller films, including "The World to Come," "Every Breath You Take," and "Our Friend."
Walton Goggins stars opposite Affleck as the adult Joe Emerson, Donnie's brother and music partner. Goggins is best known for his work on "Justified" and will soon appear on Season 2 of HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones." As for the younger versions of the Emerson brothers, Noah Jupe plays the teenage version of Donnie. He recently reprised his role as Marcus Abbott in "A Quiet Place Part II" and is set to appear in the upcoming remake of "The Lost Boys," per The Hollywood Reporter. Jack Dylan Grazer stars alongside Jupe as a younger version of Joe. Grazer's feature film credits include the horror films "It" and "It Chapter Two," plus the superhero movie "Shazam!"
Variety also reports that Zooey Deschanel ("New Girl") stars as Donnie's wife, Nancy, and Hollywood veteran Beau Bridges plays Don and Joe's father, Don Sr. Rounding out the cast of "Dreamin' Wild" is "Sharp Objects" alum Chris Messina, who plays Light in the Attic Records executive Matt Sullivan.
What is the plot of Dreamin' Wild?
Per Deadline, "Dreamin' Wild" tells the story of Donnie and Joe Emerson. The movie is based on an article written by Steven Kurutz for True Story. As explained by The Wrap's October report, "Dreamin' Wild" focuses its story on the Emerson family's efforts to get Donnie (Noah Jupe) and Joe's (Jack Dylan Grazer) first album off the ground, which includes using their farm as a means to finance the record. The album remains largely anonymous for years but is reclaimed by a new generation of fans 30 years later. The rediscovery of "Dreamin' Wild" forces an adult Donnie (Casey Affleck) to look at his past and the emotional fallout of working with his family on such a major endeavor.
According to an article in The New York Times, the Emerson brothers grew up in Eastern Washington on their family's 600-acre farm. After discovering his sons' passion for music, Don Emerson Sr. agreed to finance their album, which the boys recorded in their home studio in 1978. The album languished in obscurity until 2008 when music blogger Jack Fleischer paid $5 for a copy he found in a Spokane antique shop. "Dreamin' Wild" garnered an underground following, and Light in the Attic reissued the album. Donnie's flailing musical career continued to be underwritten by his father, who lost almost everything before the later success of "Dreamin' Wild."