Academy Award winner Cameron Crowe is finally returning to filmmaking eight years after his last film. Per an exclusive from Jeff Sneider at Above the Line, the Almost Famous helmer has spent the last two years developing a new project with his good friend Joni Mitchell about the singer-songwriter. He’s once again set to write and direct, re-teaming with his Vinyl Films partner Greg Mariotti to produce the film.

Not much is known about the film aside from its subject, though sources say it’s not your traditional musical biopic due to the close relationship Crowe and Mitchell share. Crowe has been tied to the hip with Mitchell as a reporter for Rolling Stone and other outlets, writing about her from when he was a young journalist all the way to when he interviewed her for the 50th anniversary of her legendary 1971 album Blue. In that sense, the film is billed more as an autobiography with Mitchell giving her input throughout the writing process. It seems to span much of Mitchell‘s life with the possibility that multiple actresses could play the singer-songwriter over the course of the film. Like arguably his best film Almost Famous, it’s another very personal story for Crowe and for Mitchell.

Mitchell has quite the life to pull from too. The 10-time Grammy winner rose up from working nightclubs in Toronto to become one of folk music’s legends with massive hits such as “Both Sides Now,” “River,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” and “A Case of You” among so many others. Moreover, she was hailed as a multi-talented artist, not just writing and performing many of her songs, but also designing several of her album covers. Even at the age of 79 despite numerous health issues, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has returned to live performances, remaining one of the most beloved and respected musicians alive today.

Crowe Has Been Sorely Missed on the Big Screen

Crowe‘s absence has definitely been felt on the big screen. He’s been quite successful with audiences over the years writing and directing hits like the aforementioned Almost Famous along with Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky. Before he was mostly doing his own films, he was also the writer behind Amy Heckerling‘s 1982 classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His latest film, Aloha, didn’t hit as well with audiences though and his series Roadies, his final project before taking a break, didn’t go far, but he’s clearly had a knack for creating beloved classics. Although he’s been absent, Crowe‘s work is also starting to spread to other mediums with an Almost Famous Broadway show on the way in the near future with Jimmy Fallon even returning to his role as Hope.

A music biopic seems like the perfect step forward for him. He earned a Grammy nod for producing the documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name and he was originally slated to do a biopic on the great Marvin Gaye, though it ultimately fell through. We’re still at the peak of the biopic too with Baz Luhrmann‘s Elvis reigning supreme alongside a string of other fantastic films. The deeply personal nature of Crowe and Mitchell‘s film, however, could make it stand out among the crowd.

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via Collider