'Miles Ahead' finds a home at Sony Pictures Classics

Sony Pictures Classics says it has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to Don Cheadle's directorial debut, Miles Ahead.

The film tells the story of a few lost days in the life of Miles Davis, "the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period, conspires with a Rolling Stone writer to steal back his music, and relives the years he had with his great love, Frances Taylor."

The biopic was recently announced as this year's closing-night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival.

Written by Cheadle and Steven Baigelman, Miles Ahead stars Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Stuhlbarg and Keith Stanfield.

"Miles was many things... a supreme artist and a national treasure but also an enigma to those around him, especially during his so-called quiet period," Cheadle said in a statement. "With the family's blessing and Miles' tenets on creativity as our guide, we used these cloistered years as a jumping off point to compose the story of a self-exiled artist creating his own 'centrifugal adventure' to spin himself back into playing music again."

"What Don Cheadle has done here with the spirit of Miles Davis is truly astounding. We are not only witnessing for the first time this part of Miles Davis' story as it deserves to be told, but also the birth of a major film director who happens to portray the iconic musician in a jaw-dropping performance. This movie will be embraced by audiences everywhere and we are so pleased to help make that happen," added Sony Pictures Classics.