In an August 2010 interview , Jarmusch revealed his forthcoming work schedule at that time : I 'm working on a documentary about the Stooges Iggy Pop-fronted band . It 's going to take a few years . There 's no rush on it , but it 's something that Iggy asked me to do . I 'm co-writing an " opera . " It wo n't be a traditional opera , but it 'll be about the inventor Nikola Tesla , with the composer Phil Klein . I have a new film project that 's really foremost for me that I hope to shoot early next year with Tilda Swinton and Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska , who was Alice in Wonderland in Tim Burton 's film . I do n't have that quite financed yet , so I 'm working on that . I 'm also making music and hoping to maybe score some silent films to put out . Our band will have an EP that we 'll give out at ATP . We have enough music for three EPs or an album . Jarmusch eventually attained funding for the aforementioned film project after a protracted period and , in July 2012 , Jarmusch began shooting '' Only Lovers Left Alive '' with Tilda Swinton , Tom Hiddleston ( who replaced Fassbender ) , Mia Wasikowska , Anton Yelchin , and John Hurt , while Jarmusch 's musical project SQÜRL were the main contributors to the film 's soundtrack . The film screened at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival ( TIFF ) , with Jarmusch explaining the seven-year completion time frame at the former : " The reason it took so long is that no one wanted to give us the money . It took years to put it together . Its getting more and more difficult for films that are a little unusual , or not predictable , or do n't satisfy people 's expectations of something . " The film 's budget was US$ 7 million and its UK release date was February 21 , 2014
2013 Cannes Film Festival
2013 Cannes Film Festival
Jim Jarmusch