Morgan Neville producing ‘Shangri-La,’ about famed music producer

Showtime will air a docu-series about music producer Rick Rubin later this year, with Morgan Neville producing the project. Shangri-La is its working title, and Rubin’s Malibu studio, also called Shangri-La, is the backdrop.

What Showtime calls a “work-in-progress” will screen at SXSW in Austin in March. “The series is an all-access pass into Rubin’s creative process, giving viewers a taste of what it’s like to be produced by the music world’s most singular voice,” said Showtime.

Rubin co-founded Def Jam Records as a college student in the 1980s, and helped launch the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and Run-DMC on that label.

He has produced albums from Kanye West, Adele, Eminem, Black Sabbath, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga, among other stars.

Neville’s documentaries include Won’t You Be My Neighbor and 20 Feet From Stardom.

Shangri-La is a Tremolo production. Neville, Rubin, Jeff Malmberg, Danny Breen, Michael Goldberg, Eric Lynn, Isaac Heymann, Dianna Schmedeman and Jason Schrift are executive producers. Malmberg will direct two episodes.

Showtime’s music documentaries include Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, Whitney. Can I Be Me and Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow.