A biopic on the formative years of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Billy Joel is currently in development.
Variety reports that John Ottman, who served as film editor on both Michael and Bohemian Rhapsody (for which he won an Oscar), is set to direct Billy & Me.
Based on the recent HBO documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the film will tell the story of Joel’s rise to fame through the eyes of his first manager, Irwin Mazur, who discovered him in 1966 and helped him sign a deal with Columbia Records in 1972.
Ottman reportedly acquired the exclusive right’s to Mazur’s life story, as well as Billy Joel’s friend, drummer and video director Jon Small, who will also serve as a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director.
Casting for the film is currently in progress in Winnipeg and New York City, with production expected to begin some time in the fall.