Back in 2008 we reported on a planned Marvin Gaye biopic that James Gandolfini was starring in and producing. We haven't heard anything about the movie since then, but whether or not it's still happening, it now has competition. Well, actually it's apparently had competition for a while. Based on a long Variety piece about music biopics and how hard it can be to make them, The Playlist is updating us on the fact that Cameron Crowe is at work on Gaye biopic-- and has actually made some decent progress.

With virtually no attention from the press, Crowe has secured full music rights and the full participation of Motown producer Berry Gordy, as well as a production deal with Sony and Scott Rudin. Will Smith had been in talks to star but has since passed, but apparently script work is needed before any casting would begin anyway. Crowe has already announced plans to adapt the memoir We Bought a Zoo, so progress on the Marvin Gaye story would be moving even slower. So don't get yourselves too excited about Crowe returning to his music roots and perhaps giving us an actually interesting music biopic for once. Just know that it could actually happen someday.