The rock ‘n’ roll pilot currently being developed by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger for HBO just moved a step closer to its early summer shooting slot, with the addition of Olivia Wilde to the cast list.
The House actress will join Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire, Nurse Jackie) in the as-yet-untitled project, in which he plays protagonist Richie Finestra. A record executive, Finestra works to revive his label by trying to find the next big thing amongst all the sex and drugs ubiquitous in 1970s New York. Wilde will play Devon Finestra, a former actress and current wife to Richie, who reassesses the direction of her life when the strain of her husband’s business decisions begin to wreak havoc within their family.
The credentials of this pilot are intimidating, with Scorsese set to direct the pilot as well as produce it along with Jagger. If that wasn’t impressive enough, it is rumoured to be scripted by Terence Winter (The Wolf Of Wall Street, Boardwalk Empire) and George Mastras (Breaking Bad), who will also serve as showrunner.
Though we still don’t know too much about it, the project should be quite interesting, seeing as it continues Scorsese’s fascinating exploration of the world of music, following his 2011 documentary George Harrison: Living In The Material World, and his 2008 Mick Jagger collaboration Shine A Light. Both of those turned out very well, and I’m excited to see what the director will do next to blend his love for music with his cinematic vision.
As for the cast, Cannavale is a terrific actor, with such credentials as Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine and Jon Favreau’s  Chef, which premiered to positive reviews at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. His career upturn will continue into the new year, too, with the holiday release of musical remake Annie.
Olivia Wilde is also an exciting talent, and has quietly been boosting her resume with impressive supporting turns in awards season favourites Rush and Her.
Stay tuned as we’ll keep you posted on more details about Scorsese’s untitled HBO project when we get them.
