AppleTV+ will produce a "Gratitude to Death" music film: Martin Scorsese and Jonah Hill will work together again

Martin Scorsese and Jonah Hill will work together again in an Apple TV+ music biopic about the American band Grateful Dead, a major win for the fledgling streaming service. According to Deadline, Scorsese will direct and produce the yet-to-be-named film, and Hill will star in the group's lead singer Jerry Garcia.

Hill will work with Matt Dines to produce for his Strong Baby company.

Scorsese and Hill's last work was 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street.

Not much is known about the film's plot, but it is reported that the script was written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. They wrote the screenplay for American Crime Story: The Simpsons Prosecution. Now, they're working with Rick Yorn on the Grateful Dead project.

The writing team will have access to original band members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, who will be performing productions alongside Garcia's daughter Trixie Garcia. Eric Eisner and Bernie Cahill will also serve as executive producers.

Sources familiar with the project said Apple had the right to use Grateful Dead's music catalog in the film because the band and its management were involved in the production.

Founded in the Bay Area in 1965, Grateful Dead quickly became famous for its unique blend of genres of folk, bluegrass, gospel and rock. The band performed thousands of live performances and amassed a large number of fans known as Deadheads — symbolizing the countercultural movements and psychedelicism of that era. The band disbanded after Garcia's death in 1995, though the Descendants group has maintained The Grateful Dead's music and is popular to this day.

While Scorsese has produced and directed a number of rock and roll documentaries — including Grateful Deal's documentary Long Strange Trip — the Apple project will be his first biopic about musical groups.

The upcoming film is the result of Apple's first deal with Scorsese's Sikelia Productions last year. Prior to signing the agreement, Apple purchased the rights to "The Flower Moon Killer," directed by Scorsese and co-starring Jesse Plemont, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.