Ben Kingsley joins James Dean biopic

Ben Kingsley and Alessandra Mastronardi are the latest additions to the cast of Life, the James Dean biopic directed by Anton Corbijn that has begun principal photography.

The feature is produced by See-Saw Films and First Generation Films, from a script by Luke Davies (Candy), and stars Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan, as first reported by ScreenDaily last September.

It is inspired by the true story of a friendship that developed between Magnum photographer Dennis Stock (Pattinson) and actor James Dean (DeHaan) when Stock was commissioned to photograph the actor for Life magazine in 1955. The assignment took the pair on a journey across the US, from LA to New York and on to Indiana.

Producers are See-Saw Films’ Iain Canning and Emile Sherman with Christina Piovesan of First Generation Films and is co-produced by Wolfgang Mueller and Benito Mueller of Barry Films.

The project was co-developed by See-Saw and Film4, and will be filmed on location in Toronto and Los Angeles.

The creative team includes director of photography Charlotte Bruus Christensen (The Hunt, Far from the Madding Crowd) production designer Anastasia Masaro (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Mama), costume designer Gersha Phillips (House of Cards, The Whistleblower) and editor Nick Fenton (The Selfish Giant, The Double).

The film is financed by Corner Piece Capital, LLC,Telefilm Canada, Film4, Screen Australia, Michel Merkt and Union Bank, N.A.

FilmNation is handling international sales.