Shocking! Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan Splits Internet – See Trailer Now!

Following months of on-set snaps and interviews from red-carpet events, Searchlight Pictures unveiled the teaser trailer for director James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biographical film “A Complete Unknown” on Wednesday morning.

Along with showcasing his physical metamorphosis into the legendary musician, the teaser provided a brief glimpse of his singing ability. The actor performs Dylan’s 1963 protest song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” causing a stir online, akin to the reaction when his casting was first announced.

Star of “Stranger Things” and Dylan enthusiast Jamie Campbell Bower took to social media to express his excitement for Chalamet’s portrayal.

“Being a man with a Bob Dylan tattoo on my rear end, I can confirm that after watching the trailer, I am extremely keen on Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan,” Bower expressed.

Mangold, the director and co-writer of the film, praised Chalamet’s performance and his ability to encapsulate Dylan’s persona in a Rolling Stone interview.

“There were instances where it felt like something was being transmitted,” he stated. “I don’t refer to mere imitation. I mean in sentiment.”

Chalamet’s fan page, Club Chalamet, gave their endorsement for the star on social media.

“Oscar predictors, consider adding Timothée Chalamet to your forecasts! Impressive!” the fan account exclaimed.

However, some viewers were not entirely sold on the “Dune” star’s singing prowess.

“I apologize, but that is not Bob Dylan. That is Timothée Chalamet,” one viewer commented.

The sentiment was repeated by another viewer.

“The singing is acceptable, but when he starts talking, I can only hear Timothée,” the viewer expressed. “Not captivating.”

In the trailer, Chalamet utters only a few words. “That’s all I have so far,” he says after performing “A Hard Rain” for his family.

Mangold clarified in his Rolling Stone interview that Chalamet didn’t aim to impersonate Dylan.

“There’s a misconception that we are trying to perfectly replicate a person’s voice and physical characteristics. We can’t achieve that. Not with human bodies,” he explained. “What we should strive for is to do what cinema does best, which is to reveal the emotional dynamics of these individuals. And even then, it’s my interpretation.”

Mangold is no newcomer to music-based biographical films. His 2005 film “Walk the Line” featured Joaquin Phoenix as country singer Johnny Cash, earning him an Oscar nomination. Phoenix also did his own singing for the film.

Mangold assures that the teaser is just the beginning. Audiences need to see the entire film to fully appreciate Chalamet’s performance.

“It will be impossible for people to fully grasp from trailers, teasers, or photos, but his character development is in my view, a real testament to his acting prowess,” Mangold shared.

“I appreciate this,” one social media user commented on the trailer. “It reminds me of how Joaquin Phoenix didn’t sound exactly like @JohnnyCash but sounded good.”

“Timothée Chalamet sings Bob Dylan without imitating Bob Dylan but representing someone who displays his vulnerability and expertly communicates emotions,” another user posted. “I’m in awe.”

“A Complete Unknown” is not Chalamet’s first venture into musicals. The previous year, Chalamet portrayed the eponymous Willy Wonka in the prequel “Wonka” — set before “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

“A Complete Unknown,” set to hit theaters in December, explores the career of the folk legend, beginning with the singer’s 1961 arrival in New York City from Minnesota. The film features Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger. Boyd Holbrook, P. J. Byrne, Scoot McNairy, Dan Fogler, and Will Harrison complete the cast.

The film is among a wave of music biographies set to release in the upcoming years, including films about Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, Linda Ronstadt, and Michael Jackson.