JONATHAN Demme is the second director to part ways with “Marley,” the upcoming documentary about the life and music of reggae legend Bob Marley, according to a Page Six source.
Last May, Martin Scorsese dropped out of the project citing “scheduling conflicts,” and Demme was brought on to replace him. Now we’re told Demme is out, too.
According to our source, Demme’s exit occurred after the movie’s producer, Bill Clinton pal Steve Bing, saw the director’s first round of editing and was less than impressed.
“Marley” is scheduled for release on Feb. 6 — the anniversary of the Jamaican superstar’s 65th birthday — and it’s unclear whether Demme’s departure would delay that. Marley died of cancer in 1980, but his face continues to grace T-shirts sold around the world, and he’s considered a prophet to generations of pot-smoking mystics.
The documentary has been authorized by Marley’s family. His son, Ziggy Marley, an executive producer on the film, told the BBC he was “excited” to work with Demme when the Oscar-winning director of “The Silence of the Lambs” was hired.
Demme directed a Bruce Springsteen video anthology and a documentary on Neil Young. “His empathy with my father’s body of work and his unique understanding of the musical documentary form makes me confident that this film will be the ultimate celebration of my father’s life,” Ziggy said.
Bing counts “Beowulf,” “The Big Bounce,” and “Get Carter” among the flicks he’s had a hand in producing.
Both a publicist and a lawyer for Bing didn’t return calls. Demme’s rep, Leslee Dart, said she couldn’t get hold of him to ask him if he was working with the film or not.