Rock Biopics: What’s Coming (and What Should Be)

It was recently announced that Anya Taylor-Joy and three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep will both portray Joni Mitchell in the upcoming biopic about the Canadian singer’s life.

The film will be directed by Cameron Crowe and is slated to start shooting in 2026. Taylor-Joy is anticipated to portray Mitchell during her rise to fame during the California music scene of the 1960s, and Streep is anticipated to play a modern-day version of the singer whose hit songs include “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Both Sides Now,” and “Chelsea Morning.”

In related news, Polygram Entertainment recently confirmed that the long-planned biopic about Ozzy Osbourne will continue to move forward after the death of the Black Sabbath frontman on July 22. According to reports, the film is currently in negotiations with a director.

A Madonna biopic and one about Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell have also made progress toward production in recent months, but are still years away. With that said, it’s Bruce Springsteen that is front and center of the movies-about-musicians world at the moment.

The Boss will get his first biopic treatment this fall in the much-anticipated Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, a 20th Century Studios production starring Jeremy Allen White as the New Jersey-born singer. The film will focus on the creation of the 1982 album, Nebraska, and will premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 28, followed by a worldwide release on October 24.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is already receiving Oscar buzz, which, if nominated, will continue a recent trend for biopics about musicians. Over the past decade, Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, and A Complete Unknown were all musician-based biopics that received Oscar nominations.

Regardless of whether Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere does well at the box office, musician biopics will continue to be a part of the moviegoing landscape. Which begs the question: Which ones do we want to see in the future?

Here’s a list of five (plus some honorable mentions):

Kurt Cobain – The tidal-wave shift from hair bands to grunge, the angst, the unwanted anointing as the face of a generation, the drugs, and, of course, the conspiracies that surround his death.  The Nirvana frontman is a perfect candidate for a biopic. With the Gen X generation in their nostalgia era with disposable income, a film about this member of the ‘27 Club’ is more than warranted.

Of course, there’s already been nearly a dozen films about Cobain. Perhaps most notably, the 1998 documentary Kurt & Courtney. But he’s yet to get the Hollywood treatment with a leading, A-list actor in tow. If the profits from retro Nirvana t-shirts are any indication, maybe it’s time.

Diana Ross/The Supremes – The city of Detroit is undergoing a revival, so why not capitalize on the moment with a movie about the Queen of Motown Records?

Aside from Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and perhaps record label owner Berry Gordy, no one is more responsible for putting Motown on the map than Diana Ross and the Supremes, one of the most successful all-female groups in history.

In addition to influencing countless artists and being a presence on the pop-music landscape for over 50 years, Ross’s story is filled with triumph and challenges that would translate well into a motion picture featuring her legendary music.

Lou Reed – The Velvet Underground got a first-class documentary treatment in 2021 thanks to Apple TV+ and director Todd Haynes. Considering the positive reception of the documentary and the immeasurable impact Reed has had on popular music, a biopic about The Godfather of Punk is more than warranted.

He’s one of the last remaining icons of 1960s music to not yet have a biopic, and yet one tied to some of the most interesting and influential material. Plus, there’s the added benefit of a film that can explore the depths of a seedy New York City that no longer exists – one known best by Reed himself.

Waylon Jennings – A bridge between Rock’ n’ Roll’s roots of the 1950s to the rambunctious outlaw music scene of the 1970s, Waylon Jennings is a key figure in the story of American music. Known for his hard-partying ways and the enduring trauma that resulted from his misguided words on ‘The Day the Music Died,’ there’s a lot of meat on this bone, not to mention a lot of cameo possibilities given Jennings’ close ties to Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard (to name a few).

Marc Bolan – He was the lead singer of the band T. Rex, and perhaps the biggest influence on glam rock outside of David Bowie.

To his fans, Bolan is a legend whose life was cut short at the age of 29 in a car accident. To much of the world, he’s still unknown outside of a few mainstream guitar licks. If done right, a biopic could change all that.

Honorable Mentions: Prince, Warren Zevon, Aerosmith, Public Enemy.

Which legends are deserving of the big screen treatment? Share them in the comments.

-Jason Karpf

Photo: Joni Mitchell (Getty Images)