Pitchfork

Sorry, Adam Duritz. You don't get to be Bob Dylan. But guess what? In Velvet Goldmine/Far From Heaven director Todd Haynes' forthcoming feature I'm Not There, six other people do-- including Richard Gere, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and even Cate Blanchett. Each plays a Dylan of a different period in the experimental flick, presently in post-production and tentatively slated for release later this year.

A lot of fine folks who aren't playing Dylan get to do the next best thing-- cover the man's timeless songs for the film's soundtrack. While details have not yet been completely confirmed, we do know Stephen Malkmus, the Hold Steady, and Calexico-- with Jim James, Willie Nelson, and the Byrds' Roger McGuinn-- are among the acts giving it the old Dylan try.

According to Rollingstone.com, Stephen Malkmus takes on Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" and "Ballad of a Thin Man"-- with Dylan bandmember Tony Garnier in his band and Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo in the producer's chair. Judging from a post on the Malkmus website, it seems the indie icon's cover will appear in the film itself with an actor mouthing the words: "Maybe we arent supposed to talk about this too much. but one of our favorite movie stars inhabits senor jick's voice to perfection," claims the Malkmus site.

The Hold Steady, meanwhile, take on B-side "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?", according to a post on sound engineer John Agnello's website (intense high five to reader Kaley Evans for the tip!). Mustachioed Hold Steady keyboardist Franz Nicolay confirmed the band's participation in I'm Not There on his own website.

Calexico contribute a rendition of Street Legal's "Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)", joined by folk legend Willie Nelson and flamenco guitarist Salvador Duran. The band performed and briefly discussed their cover on Minnesota Public Radio last September. Check out the video here.

Finally, in an August 2006 interview with The Daily Californian, Joey Burns of Calexico mentioned My Morning Jacket's Jim James had lent vocals to another Calexico-backed I'm Not Here Dylan cover (apparently set to appear in a Richard Gere scene), and that Calexico had recorded tracks for Roger McGuinn for a third soundtrack contribution.

Contrary to early reports, Jack White will not be participating, according to his publicist. Other rumored participants include PJ Harvey, Aimee Mann, and Michael Stipe.