Ewan McGregor, Zoe Saldana join jazz pioneer Miles Davis bio

PanARMENIAN.Net - More actors cast in Don Cheadle's passion project about the iconic jazz pioneer Miles Davis are announced as the film gets financing from BiFrost Pictures. Ewan McGregor is tapped to play a Rolling Stone reporter and Zoe Saldana will portray Frances Davis, the former wife of the trumpet player, AceShowbiz said.

The "Flight" actor will play the late musician and serve behind the lens in "Kill the Trumpet Player", marking his directorial debut. The long-delayed biopic will follow "the virtuoso, fighter and genius as bursts out of his silent period and conspires with a Rolling Stone writer to steal his music back."

Cheadle also co-wrote the script with Steven Baigelman ("Feeling Minnesota") to explore the story of a few dangerous days in Davis' life. Baigelman will executive produce the pic along with Davis' family. The late star's collaborator Herbie Hancock is confirmed to be involved in the project as well.

Cheadle said at the American Film Market that the movie wouldn't be a traditional biopic. "Let's kill that term, OK? I hope with this film we can kill the biopic. This film won't try to give a broad overview of Davis' life and give short shrift to this man's story," he said. "For us as creative people, the time of his life that was most interesting was the five years when he wasn't playing, when he was silent. What was going on in his mind? And how did he come out of it and return to music?"

Production is expected to begin next summer. No release date has been set in stone.