Biopic
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Rosetta Tharpe was a trailblazing Black musician who found fame early on as a gospel artist before shifting to rock and roll and inspiring several future legends. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has been tapped to pen a script for a biopic about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, with legendary rocker Mick Jagger serving as a producer.
Deadline reports that the Sister Rosetta Tharpe biopic was set in motion after Live Nation Productions reached out to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor to piece together the script. Along with Jagger’s Jagged Films, the film is also being produced by Tribeca Studios and Inaudible Productions.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe emerged on the music scene first in the world of gospel, releasing her first recordings at the age of 23 in 1938. One of the singles, “Rock Me,” would become a hit and influenced the likes of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard, among others.
Tharpe would mix gospel lyrics with secular music, which angered some. She went on to perform her mix of gospel and rhythm and blues, all accented by her guitar playing. The image of a Black woman singing gospel music inside secular establishments, along with her chosen instrument, caused many to not support her musical endeavors despite her quietly influencing future musical superstars along the way.
In interviews, Thapre essentially framed rock and roll as rhythm and blues at a faster pace. Sister Rosetta Tharpe passed away in 1973, but was acknowledged by her peers as a pioneering voice for rock and roll.
Along with the biopic, there will be a documentary about Tharpe centering on her contributions to music and her lasting influence, most especially in the world of guitars. The film will also pull from author Gayle Wald’s Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe biography.
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Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the Michael Jackson biopic. The project has been pushed to 2026.
Variety is reporting that the forthcoming project detailing Michael Jackson’s life will not be released until next year. According to the report, Michael will most likely be split into two parts thus the need to reschedule the premiere date (originally Oct. 3). To no surprise, this project has been in the making for time. In 2019, Deadline reported that producer Graham King of Bohemian Rhapsody fame had secured the rights from the estate to Michael Jackson’s life story and access to his music catalog. John Logan (Gladiator) was tapped to write the screenplay.
Fast forward to 2022, Lionsgate was announced as the studio to distribute the film. The following year, Antoine Fuqua was appointed as director and principal casting followed shortly after. Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, is set to make his debut playing the iconic performer. The project will also feature several accomplished actors including Nia Long (Katherine Jackson), Colman Domingo (Joe Jackson) and Larenz Tate (Motown Records founder). Filming commenced in January 2024 and wrapped up that June.
In an interview with Variety Colman Domingo detailed his approach about playing Michael’s father, Joseph. “I had to go on the inside and find out everything that I love about Joe Jackson: what his tools were for survival in the world, the tools that he gave to his children, whether it was the way he reared his children or being from where he was, I want to examine all of that.”
Lionsgate has yet to confirm report from Deadline.
Alt-rock greats Pavement are getting the biopic treatment, but the newest trailer for the upcoming film advertises that the project is less classic biopic and more “museum,” “movie” and a “reunion.”
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In the nearly three-minute clip for Pavements, Stranger Things’ Joe Keery stars as frontman Stephen Malkmus. “It’s good for my career, maybe win an award or something,” Keery jokes at one point in the video about why he took on the role. “I can’t play Billy Joel.”
The trailer also features Nat Wolff as Scott ‘Spiral Stairs’ Kannberg, Fred Hechinger as Bob Nastanovich, Logan Miller as Mark Ibold, Griffin Newman as Steve West, and Jason Schwartzman as Matador Records’ Chris Lombardi.
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“Pavements is a movie about Pavement the band—among other things,” the official film description reads. “The latest film from acclaimed director Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) is a documentary that may or may not be entirely true, may or may not be totally sincere, and may or may not be more about the idea of the band—or any band—than a history of the short-lived, passionately loved, commercially marginal Nineties American alternative group Pavement. This unconventional film about a highly unconventional band incorporates a stage musical, rock biopic, gallery exhibition, archival footage, and contemporary observational footage to create a film as irreducible, uncharacterizable, and entertaining as the band and its music.”
The real-life California band were active from 1989 until 1999, releasing a total of five albums, including 1992’s Slanted and Enchanted, 1994’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, and 1997’s Brighten the Corners, which gave the group their highest-charting U.S. release when it hit No. 70 on the Billboard 200. Their final album was 1999’s Major Leagues.
In December, Kannberg revealed in an interview with the Kreative Kontrol podcast that the Pavements soundtrack will also feature the first new song from the band in more than 25 years. “There will be a new Pavement song on the soundtrack, that’s all I’m going to give you,” he explained. “I just heard a mix of it today, and it’s pretty good. It’s not a big deal, it’s just cool because it’s something different and it’s a song that we all kind of loved playing.”
Pavements will hit theaters nationwide on June 6. Watch the new trailer below.
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The musical biopic on Pharrell Williams’ life as a child might never see the light of day. He has confirmed that the film has been scrapped.
As spotted on Variety the multi-hyphenate is putting the brakes on what would have been his newest big screen project. On Friday, Feb. 7 he and director Michel Gondry provided the entertainment magazine a formal statement on the status of Golden. “When all of us got into the editing room we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned,” it read. “We appreciate all the hard work of the talented cast and crew. While we’re disappointed we can’t deliver this film, we have incredible partners at Universal and will collaborate in a different capacity again soon.”
Golden was set to capture Pharrell Williams’ childhood by combining music and story telling. During pre-production he described the project as “a coming-of-age story about self-discovery and pursuing your dreams, but it’s so much more magical than that. It’s a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.” It featured an all-star cast of talent including Janelle Monáe, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle, Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry and Quinta Brunson.
It is unclear what Universal Pictures will do with footage and soundtrack.
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Timothée Chalamet channeled Bob Dylan‘s blonde-haired look at the New York premiere of his upcoming biopic.
During the premiere of A Complete Unknown at New York’s SVA Theater on Friday (Dec. 13), the 28-year-old actor paid tribute to the folk icon by recreating Dylan’s style from a 2003 Sundance Film Festival event.
Dressed in a light blue beanie, black leather coat, gray patterned scarf, red flannel shirt and sporting dyed blonde bangs, Chalamet’s ensemble closely mirrored a look Dylan wore to the Masked and Anonymous movie screening more than two decades ago.
A Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on Christmas Day (Dec. 25), stars Chalamet as a younger version of Dylan. The film also features Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton.
Earlier this month, Dylan himself took to X (formerly Twitter) to give the film his stamp of approval.
“There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” the legendary musician wrote. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ’60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you’ve seen the movie read the book.”
“Floored,” Chalamet tweeted in response. “I am so grateful. Thank you, Bob.”
Also starring Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy, the biographical drama is inspired by Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Director James Mangold revealed that Dylan personally provided feedback on the script.
Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. The Wonka actor has said he’s been honing his portrayal of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for years, working with a movement coach, taking a “spirit-gathering” road trip to Dylan’s early stomping grounds, and training with a harmonica coach for five years to master the singer-songwriter’s signature style.
The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown is two weeks away from release, and Billboard is sharing an exclusive clip from the project. In the video, Timothée Chalamet portrays the icon alongside Edward Norton’s Pete Seeger. The duo sit down together at a gathering with their guitars to perform Dylan’s 1964 hit “When the Ship […]
The upcoming biopic about Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown, is just weeks away from release, and the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” legend took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (Dec. 4) to give the film, as well as starring actor Timothée Chalamet, his stamp of approval. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest […]
Madonna is thinking of readjusting how she presents her much-awaited upcoming biopic.
The Queen of Pop took to Instagram on Monday (Nov. 18) to share a series of recent selfies and photos, reflecting in the caption on the difficulties she’s been facing in telling the story of her life. “After struggling for days in LA , listening to producers and agents Tell me why I couldn’t make my film —I(been working on it for 4 years!!!),” she began. “Downsize-down scale -think smaller-they say—I realized that everything in my life is going to be challenged.”
Madonna continued that the experience as well as hanging out with “creative friends” has allowed her to “think outside the box,” noting, “I did not have a normal life. I cannot make this in the normal way.”
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She continued, “We cannot shrink and make ourselves smaller. If you want something badly enough in life— the whole universe will conspire to [help] you get it.”
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Ultimately, the “Material Girl” singer asked fans for their input, asking if she should make the “story of my life into a series or a feature film,” with much of the comment section agreeing that she should, in fact, make a multiple-part show. See her post here.
The film, initially announced in 2020, was set to delve into the life and career of the beloved musician, and Inventing Anna actress Julia Garner was rumored to have been offered the role of portraying the pop superstar. However, in 2023, the biopic was reportedly put on hold at Universal Pictures for Madonna to focus on her global Celebration Tour.
In July 2024, the biopic seemed to be back in the works. She took to Instagram to share a slideshow of photos in which she’s seen posing with a typewriter, writing a screenplay titled Who’s That Girl, in reference to her 1987 film and song of the same name. While the script is blurred, there are circles and notes indicating edits.
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