Tyson Ritter, frontman of pop-rock outfit The All-American Rejects has signed on to play a young Gregg Allman, with Academy Award-winning actor William Hurt now set to portray a modern-day Allman in a biopic titled Midnight Rider, adapted from Allman’s memoir, My Cross to Bear.
According to the The Hollywood Reporter, The Walking Dead actor Wyatt Russell will portray Gregg’s late elder brother and leader of The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman in the film, which is being made by Unclaimed Freight Productions‘ Randall Miller and Jody Savin, who were the team behind the recent CBGB film, with Miller set to direct a script co-written with Savin.
The movie will reportedly tell two stories, one of Gregg Allman’s journey from a struggling musician to member of one of the world’s most recognised rock and roll bands, and one of a 64-year-old Allman’s realisation that he must unchain himself from that life’s excesses or risk his own death.
Production is scheduled to begin in February in Savannah, Georgia. Gregg Allman will soon be in Australia as part of the incredible lineup for Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014 and will play a quick run of sideshows alongside Gov’t Mule and his son Devon Allman in Melbourne and Sydney.
