Don Cheadle has been working on his Miles Davis film, Miles Ahead, for so many years now that his dedication to the project is readily apparent. The film has cycled through directors and interest from studios and cable networks through its development process, but Cheadle's admirable steadfast desire to not make this a standard biopic. You know, those cradle to grave stories that are always made about famous people (think Ray and Walk The Line and then remember how fantastically that formula was skewered in Walk Hard).

Instead, Miles Ahead focuses on one period of Miles Davis' life - his reemergence after five years of artistic exile, commonly known as his "silent period." Cheadle will also direct the film starring Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg and Emayatzy Corinealdi. Head below for the first Miles Ahead image.The image comes from EW, who has an exclusive interview with Cheadle in which he states just how much this isn't a traditional biopic:

You can [call it that] if you want, and there are elements of it that would make it that. But to me, that was something I was rejecting. I wasn’t interested in that, and I’m not interested by all the things that a traditional biopic does. I want to tell a hot story that’s full of his music that feels impressionistic in that it finds a way to incorporate all his musical styles and influences and ideas. It needs to feel like his approach: “I don’t care about what happened before. I’m about what’s happening now and about what’s happening next.” That’s Miles’ marching orders to me.

While the film is all set to start shooting in Cincinnatti next week, Cheadle is still looking for some additional financing via Indiegogo (he's apparently already put a lot of his own money into the project). You can check out his pitch video below.