Martin Scorsese to direct Grateful Dead biopic with Jonah Hill in the lead

Martin Scorsese is on board to direct and produce a new untitled biopic on the Grateful Dead. It will have Jonah Hill on board to play the group’s frontman, Jerry Garcia.

Jonah will also produce the film through his Strong Baby banner along with his producing partner Matt Dines.

The Apple project will have writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who received rave reviews for penning ‘American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson’.

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Rick Yorn of LBI Entertainment will join Jonah Hill and Martin Scorsese as producers. The Dead’s Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann will executive produce along with their late bandmate’s daughter Trixie Garcia, Eric Eisner and Bernie Cahill.

The film’s plot hasn’t been revealed but the band’s story goes back to its formation in the Bay Area amid the rise of the psychedelic counterculture of the ’60s. They continued to record albums and tour, with Deadhead fans following them throughout the years all over the country for jam sessions.

In addition, Martin Scorsese and his production banner Sikelia Productions signed a first-look deal with Apple last year for film and TV.