Best known for his leading role as Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl, Penn Badgley has been gaining in recognition on the big screen in recent years, too, starring opposite Emma Stone in the brilliant Easy A in 2010 and in the Oscar-nominated Margin Call last year.

This year will see him take the lead in the upcoming drama/biopic, Greetings from Tim Buckley, in which he will star as Jeff Buckley, whose life was tragically cut short at the age of just 30, having released just one album which would later earn significant critical acclaim in the years following his death.

The film was announced as part of yesterday’s new additions to the TIFF line-up, and we’ve now got the first three images to share from the film, giving us a good look at Badgley as the young Buckley.

“A young Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) struggles to make peace with his late father Tim’s legacy while preparing to perform at a tribute concert to the late singer-songwriter, in this stirring drama about the prelude to the tragically short-lived singer’s creation of his monumental album Grace.”

Starring alongside Badgley will be the excellent Imogen Poots, Ben Rosenfield, Frank Wood, William Sadler, and singer-turned-actress Kate Nash.

Daniel Algrant (People I Know) is behind the camera, directing from a script he co-wrote with newcomers David Brendel and Emma Sheanshang.

You can find out more about the movie on their official website here, Facebook here and follow them on Twitter here.

Greetings from Tim Buckley will be debuting at Toronto next month, and though there’s no word yet on a UK or US release date, we’re hoping this will find its way to the big screen sooner rather than later. For now, enjoy these first look images, which you can click to enlarge.