Dave Stewart Announces Semi-Autobiographical Musical Film Ebony McQueen
![](https://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2024/08/Dave-Stewart-portrait-1723658439.jpg)
Helena Christensen
Dave Stewart, one-half of Eurythmics, has had a wildly busy life working with a whole bunch of extremely famous artists: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, Katy Perry, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi, Sinéad O’Connor, and a lot more. But he’s also done a lot of work in musical theater and movies, and when he released his 2022 triple album Ebony McQueen, he billed it as the first steps of a semi-autobiographical musical. Now, Deadline reports that Ebony McQueen, the film musical, is one step closer to reality.
Stewart wrote the music and lyrics for Ebony McQueen, with composer A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) handling its score. The press release did not clarify whether the music from the album will be the same music used in the film, but it sounds like that’ll probably be the case. Based on his own early life, the film will take place in Northeast England — including Stewart’s hometown of Sutherland — during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Shekhar Kapur will direct, based on a script by Stewart, Lorne Campbell, Selma Dimitrijevic, and Peter Souter. David Parfitt and David Jacobson will also co-produce alongside Stewart, and Sharon D. Clarke will star in the title role. Here’s a plot summary:
The film’s main character, Charlie McGarvey, dreams of being a pro footballer, but his hopes are shattered after a devastating injury. He soon discovers the transformative magic of creating music, which leads him on a journey that awakens the ability to fully pursue what he loves, despite the world falling apart around him.
I’m sure there’s a “sweet dreams” joke in there somewhere. Production for Ebony McQueen is scheduled to begin early next year.