Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark leading man Reeve Carney has been cast as Jeff Buckley in a currently untitled movie about the late singer's life. Jake Scott (Welcome to the Rileys) will direct the film, which features a screenplay by Ryan Jaffe (The Rocker.) Production will begin in New York and Memphis in November.
"We are over the moon that Reeve has agreed to take on this challenging role," Buckley's mother Mary Guibert, who will serve as an executive producer of the project, said in a statement. "I've seen him perform several times.. .he's been getting ready for this all his life. It certainly doesn't hurt that he looks so much like Jeff."
Carney made his Broadway debut in Spider-Man. His film credits include The Tempest, Spread and Snow Falling on Cedars. He also heads the rock band Carney.
Buckley died at the age of 30 in a drowning accident in Memphis, having only released one studio album, Grace. He is best known for his popular cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Buckley received a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal for "Everybody Here Wants You" from his posthumous album, Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk. The Last Goodbye, a rock musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet composed of Buckley's music, made its world premiere in 2010 at the Williamstown Theater Festival.