Leave it to Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker to get Bob Dylan back in the studio. What’s that, you say? Yes, believe it or not, the legendary singer/songwriter recently entered the studio to begin work on a brand new studio album, all because of a couple high-profile movie stars. According to Isis, a Bob Dylan fansite, the basic story goes like this: Dylan was recently approached to pen the soundtrack for My Own Love Song, an upcoming film starring Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker. When the 67-year-old hit the studio, he hit a creative spurt and decide to record a brand new album of his own.

The currently untitled effort, which is expected to contain 10 tracks, was reportedly finished in January, and while a fall release date was originally planned, it now appears the album could be in our hands by late April. Apparently, executives would like to have the release coincide with the final stages of Dylan’s forthcoming European tour. After all, that would only make sense.

When the release does hit shelves, it will mark his first new release since last year’s The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs. His last studio album, Modern Times, was released in August of 2006 and went on to hit #1 in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

As for the aforementioned tour, it is currently scheduled to kick off next month in Sweden and will take Dylan all across Europe for the better part of a month and a half.

Bob Dylan 2009 Tour Dates:
03/23 – Stockholm, SE @ Globe Arena
03/25 – Oslo, NO @ Spektrum
03/27 – Jonkoping, SE @ Kinnarps Arena
03/28 – Malmo, SE @ Malmo Arena
03/29 – Copenhagen, DK @ Forum
03/31 – Hannover, DE @ AWD Arena
04/01 – Berlin, DE @ Max-Schmeling-Halle
04/02 – Erfurt, DE @ Messehalle
04/04 – Munich, DE @ Zenith
04/05 – Saarbrucken, DE @ Saarlandhalle
04/07 – Paris, FR @ Palais des Congres
04/08 – Paris, FR @ Palais des Congres
04/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall
04/11 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall
04/12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall
04/14 – Basel, CH @ St. Jakobshalle
04/15 – Milan, IT @ MediolanumForum
04/17 – Rome, IT @ PalaLottomatica
04/18 – Florence, IT @ MandelaForum
04/20 – Geneva, CH @ Geneva Arena
04/21 – Strasbourg, FR @ Zenith
04/22 – Brussels, BE @ Forest National
04/24 – Sheffield, UK @ Sheffield Arena
04/25 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
04/28 – Cardiff, UK @ CIA
04/29 – Birmingham, UK @ NIA
05/01 – Liverpool, UK @ Echo Arena
05/02 – Glasgow, UK @ SECC
05/03 – Edinburgh, UK @ Edinburgh Playhouse
05/05 – Dublin, IE @ O2 Arena
05/06 – Dublin, IE @ O2 Arena