He survived the 1977 airplane crash in Mississippi that claimed the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray, and now Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artemis Pyle is taking the band’s story to the big screen.
Cleopatra Films has announced a film tentatively titled “Freebird” that will tell the tale from Pyle’s point of view. In a statement, the drummer says, “This film’s story — MY story — is not just about the plane crash but also about my personal relationship with the genius that was Ronnie Van Zant, whom I loved like a brother and still miss to this day.”
From Deadline, Pyle adds “When that plane crashed, we were at the top of the world, man. I mean, we could play with any band – any band, whether it was the Rolling Stones, anyone, and we would hold our own or better. I think of that accident every day and what we might have accomplished if we’d have 10 more years.”
“I want the movie to portray my band members the way they were,” he adds. “Real, funny people who loved the music, loved the success that allowed us to be able to travel the world and play for kings and queens all over this planet. It’s incredibly personal and passionate to me and I want the movie-going public to be able to share the laughs and the tears.”
Pyle crawled out of the airplane’s wreckage and hiked through a swamp to a nearby farm to summon help.
Filming is expected to begin in multiple U.S. locations this summer. No word on casting at this stage, and the use of Lynyrd Skynyrd music in the film could be a licensing issue. A release date has not yet been targeted.