It is the season of music-based biopics.
After the success of the recently released Baz Luhrmann film, ‘ELvis’ – much in lines of previous films like ‘Rocketman’ (based on Elton John) and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (based on Freddie Mercury), another Pop icon is soon to get a big-screen biopic treatment.
The story of King of Pop – Michael Jackson will soon by brought to celluloid, courtesy of Lionsgate. Entitled ‘Michael’, the new biopic will be directed by Antoine Fuqua – who’s previously given us films like – Training Day and the recently released Will Smith starrer – Emancipation. It will be produced by Bohmemian Rhapsody producer – Graham King.
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While that is a project that is freshly announced and is in pre-production stage, another biopic of a big-shot music icon is filming at full swing.
The story of British songstress Amy Winehouse is yet again being brought to the big screen, after her 2015-released very successful documentary by – Asif Kapadia.
Aptly named ‘Back To Black’ – after one of the late singer’s big hits, the film is being helmed by Sam Taylor-Wood, and sees Marisa Abela in the role of the troubled singer. Pictures from the sets of the film already went viral earlier this month – garnering mixed reactions from the singer’s fans.
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Meanwhile Whitney Houston’s first official biopic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ is presently playing in cinemas across multiple countries.
The film was directed by Kasi Lemmons and saw British actress Naomi Ackie in the role of the iconic Pop and RnB Queen.
That is not all – Bradley Cooper is also set to play Leonard Bernstein in an upcoming biopic, and there have long been talks about a forthcoming film on country legend Dolly Parton.
Meanwhile, Madonna’s previously announced biopic starring Julia Garner was shelved, after the singer decided to focus on her upcoming concert tour instead.
After finding it’s safe space in remaking old classics, or retelling animated films of the past in the live-action format, producers have found a new comfort zone in the potential market for the new fad of music-biopics — which does not necessarily involve the same level of extraordinary creativity or risks associated with bringing something fresh to the table.
But like every other formula, this too is likely to inevitably suffer the fate of over-exposure, rendering audiences to grow tired out of it.
Like every fad, it is a time bomb which may soon expire in the box office.