Bohemian Rhapsody focused on the band Queen, and the success of that film has movie executives about creating their own entry in the music biopic genre. Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton, is an upcoming music biopic focusing on Elton John, and it seems that more are on the way.
David Bowie was a legend. He was an unforgettable performer and actor. In New York City, the Broadway-Lafayette subway stop is dedicated to Bowie, and a vibrant mural for him stands behind glass in his birthplace of Brixton, London. And now it appears that he is going to be the focus of a music biopic, if the pieces come together in the near future.
Duncan Jones, Bowie’s filmmaker son, suggested on Twitter that he will be meeting with undisclosed executives for a potential biopic on his famous dad, and he opened a poll on which actor should represent his father. Given the jokey nature of his poll, Jones does not seem keen on the biopic.
They insist I take a meeting on a biopic about my dad.
Who do I say must play him?— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) December 16, 2018
This may be because movie portrayals summing up a legend’s life often do not quite cut it. What a great person leaves behind in this world cannot necessarily be wrapped up in a movie. Or perhaps the uncertain ethics of biopic films bothers people. Musical biopics attempt to encapsulate and honor extraordinary celebrities while simultaneously producing a pot of money for people financing the biopic.
Bohemian Rhapsody split viewers into two groups; fans who enjoy remembering icons, and those who oppose anyone trying to mimic phenomenal stars because no one can compare to their caliber. For those banking on a Bowie biopic, stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath.