A music-driven film featuring the music of the Grateful Dead is finally being put into production, Deadline is reporting. ICM agent Bruce Kaufman has picked up the rights to the rock band’s full music catalog. He will produce a musical film, styled like his 2007 Beatles-inspired movie ‘Across the Universe.’
With it’s unprecedented access to the Grateful Dead’s catalog, ICM will create a narrative-style feature film built around the band’s songs. The movie will reportedly capture the Haight-Ashbury hippie spirit that was popularized in the late 1960s and early ’70s by such Grateful Dead songs as ‘Truckin’,’ ‘U.S. Blues,’ ‘Dark Star’ and ‘Good Lovin’.’
Kaufman will work with the band’s archivist, David Lemieux, and the general manager of Grateful Dead Properties at Warner Music Group’s Rhino Entertainment, Mark Pinkus. The Grateful Dead granted exclusive management of its intellectual property in 2006 to Rhino.
The Grateful Dead was formed in 1965 in San Francisco. They broke up in 1995 after singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia died, shortly after the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During their 30-year career, the band performed live 2,300 times, many performances being attended by avid fans who followed the musicians cross-country to hear their improvisational performances.
Written by: Karen Benardello
