RAT Rock News

RAT Rock News

RAT Rock News

Following the success of biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, a number of other biopics and series about famous musicians have been announced to be in the works.

Currently, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown starring Timothée Chalamet is enjoying critical and moderate commercial success. The film received a wide release on Christmas Day 2024 and has grossed just over $44 million worldwide as of Jan. 9, 2025. A Complete Unknown received three Golden Globe nominations: Best Motion Picture, Drama; Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama for Chalamet; and Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for Edward Norton. (Oscar nominations will be unveiled on Jan. 19, and the film is expected to receive some nominations.)

Another major biopic currently in the works is Deliver Me From Nowhere. As previously reported, Deliver Me From Nowhere is slated for release in 2025. This film is an adaptation of the 2023 book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska by Warren Zanes. Playing Springsteen in the film is Emmy Award-winning actor Jeremy Allen White.

Keep scrolling to see details on some of the other biopics and series about musicians currently in the works.

  • Scott Weiland

    Per The Hollywood Reporter back in June 2021, a new film based on the Weiland memoir Not Dead & Not for Sale by David Ritz is currently in the works at Dark Pictures, a new female-led production company that will focus on “true stories.”

    Since the biopic was first announced, there hasn’t been a significant update released publicly.

  • Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

    In October 2021, the long-in-the-works Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne biopic was picked up by Sony Pictures. The film will cover the many ups and down of Ozzy and Sharon’s relationship.

    The film is still in the works. In March 2024, the film came up in conversation on The Osbournes Podcast.

    Ozzy bluntly said, “By the time they finish this film, I’ll be dead … I wanna be alive to f—ing see it.” Sharon added, “Movies take forever to make. Forever.”

    As for who they would want cast to play them, both Sharon and Kelly Osbourne think Florence Pugh would be a great as Sharon. Jack Osbourne thinks Bill Hader would make for a great Ozzy, but Kelly thinks an unknown actor should play Ozzy.

  • U2

    Per The Hollywood Reportera scripted series about U2 is currently in the works for Netflix. Helming the project is J.J. Abrams and tasked with writing the series is Anthony McCarten who co-wrote 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. U2 “is expected to be involved and sanction the project,” but there are currently no details regarding a timeline for release or casting.

    This series was first announced in March 2022, but there hasn’t been any follow-up information about the series since then.

  • KISS

    The KISS biopic will be called Shout It Out Loud, and both Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are working closely on the film. Word of a KISS biopic first surfaced in February 2020 with KISS manager Doc McGhee saying at the time, “We have a documentary that we’re doing right now, and we’re in the middle of working on a KISS biopic.”

    The latest update on the film came in September 2024 with Deadline reporting McG was in final negotiations to direct the film.

  • Heart/Ann and Nancy Wilson

    News of a Heart biopic first surfaced in November 2020 via Deadline. Singer Ann Wilson said Carrie Brownstein of the punk band Sleater-Kinney (and the costar of IFC’s Portlandia) will write and direct. Wilson said, “I saw the first draft of the script. She’s working with the movie company — Amazon — and with the producer, Linda Obst, who did ‘Sleepless in Seattle.”

    The latest update came in Oct. 2023 with Ann Wilson telling the Totally 80s podcast, “The pandemic kind of slowed them down a little bit, but it’s in the works still … I’ve seen a couple of drafts of the script. It’s good.”

  • Joey Ramone

    Netflix announced in April 2021 the making of a Joey Ramone biopic based on the 2009 book I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Punk Rock Family Memoir by Mickey Leigh, the singer’s brother. Pete Davidson was cast as the Ramones singer.

    Unfortunately, the film is currently being held up due to a lawsuit filed by Johnny Ramone’s widow, Linda, against Leigh, who then filed a countersuit.

  • John Lennon and Yoko Ono

    In October 2018, The Hollywood Reporter reported a movie about the relationship of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was in the works with Universal Pictures and there were talks with Michael De Luca Productions and Immersive Pictures for the rights of the untitled film.

    No significant updates about this biopic have been released since. However, in November 2024, the documentary Daytime Revolution was released, which chronicled the story behind John and Yoko’s famous co-hosting stint on The Mike Douglas Show in 1972

  • Lemmy Kilmister

    Deadline reported in June 2020 that the Lemmy Kilmister biopic will simply be titled Lemmy and will be directed by Greg Olliver who also directed the acclaimed 2010 documentary of the same title. The film will cover Kilmister’s life growing up in Stoke on Trent and his life in music before founding Motorhead.

    Since June 2020, there hasn’t been a significant update reported on the biopic.

  • Boy George

    In April 2021, Deadline initially reported the Boy George biopic, then titled Karma Chameleon, was hoping to begin production that summer in London and Bulgaria.

    Work on the project experienced some sort of delay, because in August 2024, Deadline reported TriStar Pictures tapped J.C. Lee to write the screenplay and that the film was “still in early development.”

     

  • Grateful Dead

    In November 2021, Deadline reported a Grateful Dead biopic was in the works with Jonah Hill cast as Jerry Garcia. Directing the project was Martin Scorsese. No other details have been reported since, but there’s been speculation from Screen Rant that the Dead biopic is currently on hold while Scorsese tends to other projects.

  • Keith Moon

    In February 2022, Variety reported the long-awaited/rumored Keith Moon biopic was set to begin filming that summer. However, it appears that filming didn’t end up happening.

    In June 2024, Roger Daltrey told Ultimate Classic Rock, “We have a script. We’re checking out directors, trying to get the best available director, ’cause all the good ones are always working. I’ve got to find good people with the time to make this film. I want to get that made when I’m still alive to promote it, so that’s taking up quite a lot of my time”

  • Linda Ronstadt

    In January 2024, Variety reported that Selena Gomez was cast in a biopic about Linda Ronstadt. At that time, the outlet noted the film was in pre-production and that John Boylan, Ronstadt’s manager, was one of the film’s producers.

    In November 2024, Gomez told The Hollywood Reporter that the film was “still happening, though I’m not sure when.” She added, “With Linda, once I met her and read two books, one of them over and over, I just found her to be so [compelling]. She had such an interesting perspective on music and life, and I really admired that. She never really needed to be as successful, and she was willing to try different things. But there’s a reason it’s taking time. We want to make sure it’s going to be good.”

  • Anthony Kiedis

    In January 2024, Deadline reported Kiedis’ 2004 memoir, Scar Tissue, was optioned to Universal Pictures. At that time, it was reported the biopic was in the early development stages and was going to be produced by Brian Grazer, Guy Oseary and Kiedis.

    There hasn’t been a significant follow-up since this initial reporting.

  • The Beatles

    In February 2024, a biopic movie series about The Beatles was first announced. The series will be broken up into four separate feature films. Each film will tell the story of the legendary band from the perspective of each member. Tentatively, these films will receive a global theatrical release in 2027.

    The series is the first time Apple Corps Ltd., The Beatles and their families/estates have agreed to such a project. This project has also acquired music rights permissions. The concept of this series was thought of by director Sam Mendes. He will be helming the films in a joint venture with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Neal Street Productions.

    While casting has yet to be officially revealed, reports as of December 2024 indicate that Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Charlie Rowe will play George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan will play Ringo Starr.

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