Randall Miller and Jody Savin, the film-making team behind Bottle Shock, are developing a project about the life and times of The Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson.
The Drummer follows the last six years of Wilson’s life when which he created arguably some of his finest music. Wilson was the only member of the band who surfed but tragedy struck in 1983 when he drowned off the coast of California shortly after releasing his only solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue.
Savin will write the screenplay and Miller will direct as they did previously on Bottle Shock, which starred Alan Rickman and Chris Pine. The producers are currently out to cast and production is scheduled for January 2011 in time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of The Beach Boys.
Miller and Savin will produce under their Unclaimed Freight Productions label along with Brad Rosenberger, senior vice-president of Warner-Chappell Music Group, who brought the project to the film-makers.
Unclaimed Freight secured the rights from Wilson’s estate and Shelley Surpin who negotiated on behalf of the Wilson family. Music rights were secured under the same deal and the film will include songs from Pacific Ocean Blue, as well as previously unreleased Wilson music and select titles from the Beach Boys’ catalogue.
“Dennis was a pained and tortured soul, yet brilliant and loved dearly by so many who knew him,” Miller said. “This film has the makings of a tour-de-force performance in the hands of the right actor.”
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