A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, recounts Bob Dylan’s rapid rise to fame in the early 1960s as a pioneering singer-songwriter who later went on to redefine American music and culture. Starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, the film begins with his arrival in New York City at 19 years old and follows his journey from a Greenwich Village folk icon to an unexpected rock musician at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The movie opens in theaters on December 25.
Chalamet, who sings and plays guitar throughout the film, performs Dylan classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” Reflecting on the role, Chalamet told The Hollywood Reporter, “It’s the furthest I’ve stretched myself. This man’s life and work are so biblical to me that I felt if I let my focus err for a second, I’d regret it for years.” The actor spent five years immersing himself in Dylan’s world, using the delays caused by COVID-19 and the Hollywood strikes to perfect his performance. A Complete Unknown was also nominated for a Best Motion Picture, Drama 2025 Golden Globe award.
The film’s script was co-written by Mangold and Jay Cocks and is loosely based on Elijah Wald’s book Dylan Goes Electric!, according to Rolling Stone. It stars Elle Fanning as Sylvie Rosso (a fictionalized version of Dylan’s girlfriend Suze Rotolo), Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger as well as Scoot McNairy, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, Eriko Hatsune, Big Bill Morganfield, and Will Harrison.
![cast of a complete unknown at los angeles premiere including timothee chalamet, james mangold, eriko hatsune, edward norton, monica barbaro, elle fanning, scoot mcnairy, boyd holbrook, will harrison, and nick pupo](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/james-mangold-eriko-hatsune-edward-norton-timoth-c3-a9e-chalamet-news-photo-1734555655.pjpeg?resize=980:* "Los Angeles Premiere Of Searchlight Pictures "A Complete Unknown" - Arrivals")
Chalamet has already received praise for his portrayal of Dylan, along with a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Dylan himself was involved in the project’s development, offering feedback on the script. Mangold shared with The Hollywood Reporter that the musician “was super honest about those days and even corrected small details, like how certain people addressed him or the lyrics he sang.” Dylan later expressed his confidence in Chalamet on X, writing, “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”
Searchlight Pictures has not yet announced an official streaming date for A Complete Unknown. However, the film is expected to eventually stream on Hulu, given that Searchlight is owned by Disney. Past Searchlight films like Suncoast and All of Us Strangers have also streamed on Hulu.
In the meantime, you can enjoy the film in theaters.