It's been four years since filming ended on Jazz icon Buddy Bolden's biopic Bolden! with Anthony Mackie in the titular role. Yet, we are still waiting to hear any news on its release! We last gave you some updates a year ago, when Cynthia posted this piece with some updates via the film's producer Jon Cornick; he said the film was still in the editing phase, but will hopefully screen at festivals towards the end of 2011.

Alas, no screening sightings as of yet. However,  I just found this bit of news, in which Bolden's first time director – jazz lover, musician and Hyatt hotel heir Dan Pritzker –  told Forbes that he's in no rush; the film account on the first Cornet King of New Orleans is a passion project of his, and he wants to release the best film possible.

Apparently Bolden! is still going through some editing; according to Pritzker, there are several versions of the film and they "run anywhere from an hour and forty five minutes to three hours and forty five minutes.” The wealthy hotel heir did not confirm or deny whether he had spent a $100 million on the film's budget.

Pritzker added, “If I were doing this to make money, I wouldn’t have made a movie. I’m not a filmmaker.”  He says that it may be another 12 to 18 months for its release, and if the film doesn't make any money he says, ”It won’t affect my life."

Not if you're a billionaire! 🙂

Oh yeah, Pritzker said that he first heard of Buddy Bolden through a radio station manager back in 1996. Pritzker, also a musician, was inspired by his life then and there. Bolden! "begins as a flashback, when Bolden is dying and hearing Louis Armstrong on the radio. The baton has been passed. And then Bolden’s story unfolds."

Bolden died in real life at a mental hospital suffering from schizophrenia.

Alongside Mackie, Bolden! boasts an impressive cast that includes Jackie Earl Haley, Wendall Pierce, Michael Rooker, Reno Wilson, Omari Hardwick, Eugene Byrd, Omar Gooding, Lisa Arrindell Anderson and April Grace.

So, there's still hope; especially looking at the cast and also noting that the film's cinematography is handled by veteran cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and its score is composed by Wynton Marsalis. 

We'll certainly keep you posted on any developments.