Martin Scorsese to direct Bob Marley documentary :: Music News :: Articles

Martin Scorsese is set to direct a documentary on the life of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley, reports Variety.

Despite the success of a recent wave of musical film biopics including Ray and Walk the Line, a film depicting Marley’s life has never been made. Several proposed projects have surfaced over the years, including The Bob Marley Story, to star Marley’s son Rohan as Bob and Grammy winning artist Lauryn Hill as his wife Rita, but they have all languished in development or been scrapped by studios.

After winning the Academy Award for Best Director in 2006 for his film The Departed, Scorsese surprised many by taking on the Rolling Stones biopic Shine A Light. The as-yet untitled Marley documentary will plunge Scorsese into the world of music once again, and reunite him with his Light production partners Shangri-La Entertainment and Fortissimo Films.

Scorsese received the Marley family’s blessing to make the documentary. Marley’s son Ziggy told Variety, “I am thrilled that the Marley family will finally have the opportunity to document our father’s legacy and are truly honored to have Mr. Scorsese guide the journey.”

The documentary is scheduled for release Feb. 6, 2010, on what would have been Marley’s 65th birthday. In the meantime, fans can catch the 2007 political documentary Africa Unite, which features Marley’s music and his family’s ongoing work in the Pan-African movement. The film comes out on DVD on Feb. 12.

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