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 opened 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.
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://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/james-mangold-eriko-hatsune-edward-norton-timoth-c3-a9e-chalamet-news-photo-1734555655.pjpeg?resize=640:* "Los Angeles Premiere Of Searchlight Pictures "A Complete Unknown" - Arrivals")
Chalamet received widespread 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 and a Screen Actors Guild win. A Complete Unknown also earned eight 2025 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Timothée Chalamet), Actor in a Supporting Role (Edward Norton), Actress in a Supporting Role (Monica Barbaro), Directing (James Mangold), Costume Design, and Sound. However, the film went home empty-handed at the ceremony.
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.”
When will A Complete Unknown Be Streaming?
On March 27, A Complete Unknown will be available to stream on Hulu. Past Searchlight films like Suncoast and All of Us Strangers have also streamed on the platform.
The film is also available to rent and purchase digitally at the sites below.
This story will be updated.
