Randall Miller and Jody Savin’s adaptation of the Gregg Allman memoir “My Cross to Bear” has found its Allman Brothers.
Tyson Ritter, the lead singer-songwriter of pop-rock band The All-American Rejects will take on the role of young Gregg Allman while Wyatt Russell, currently shooting “22 Jump Street” with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, will take the role of Duane Allman in the movie, whose working title is “Midnight Rider.”
Tyson and Wyatt will perform vocals, guitar, piano and organ throughout the film.
“The world knows Tyson as a extraordinary musician and performer; now the world will know what an amazing actor he is as well,” said Miller.
Savin, meanwhile, said Russell has been a Duane Allman fan his whole life and that during the audition process he “blew us away with his total embodiment of the rock icon and his uncanny slide guitar chops.”
Miller will direct “Rider,” which he wrote with Savin. The two are producing via their banner, Unclaimed Freight, along with their music biz partner Brad Rosenberger.
Open Road Films will be handling the U.S. domestic release and the Exchange will handle the international sales on the film.
Production is scheduled to begin in February in Savannah, Ga., at Meddin Studios. The plan is to use original Allman Brothers tracks in the film as well as re-recorded performances by the actor-musicians.
Allman was part of the Southern rock group the Allman Brothers, whose heyday was during the ’60s and ’70s with such songs as “Ramblin’ Man,” “Midnight Rider,” “Whipping Post” and “Jessica.”
Success, however, was mixed with tragedy. Duane Allman died in a motorcycle crash only two weeks after the band’s third album went gold. Less than 13 months later, bassist Berry Oakley was killed in another motorcycle accident. Gregg Allman also had two girlfriends commit suicide. He married six times (once to Cher) and spent years in and out of rehab.
The movie will tell two stories: Allman’s journey as a struggling artist through the formation of the Allman Brothers Band and its explosion on the music scene as well as on a portrait of an older Allman as a 64-year-old man who knows he has to clean up.
Allman and his manager, Michael Lehman, are exec producing.
Ritter, who is repped by CAA, has acted before, notably on a stint on NBC’s “Parenthood.”
Russell, repped by UTA, is the son of actor Kurt Russell.
This article originally appeared on THR.com.