Love, VictorandThe Morning Showwriter and producer JC Lee has given an encouraging update on the progress of hisBoy Georgemovie. Set to be adapted from Boy George’s own autobiographies,Take It Like A Man,Straight, andKarma,Lee will write themusic biopic, while the iconic ‘80s pop star will serve as an executive producer. While it is unclear which actor will be selected to star as the Culture Club singer, Boy George has previously hinted atGame of Thronesalum Sophie Turneras an intriguing possibility, an endorsement that Turner herself openly embraced.
Speaking recently withScreen Rant,Lee was quizzed about the progress of his Boy George biopic. Suggesting that he is currently in the middle of writing, Lee said that he presently taking a break on the script, “so that we can all have a chat.” The screenwriter also went on topraise Boy George and the wealth of material and personal history he has sharedwith him about his remarkable life. Check out his comments below:
I am taking a break from writing that script so that we can all have a chat. I’m in the middle of the writing, and I’m in contact with George, who’s an incredible person who has shared incredible details and so much material with me about his just insanely remarkable life. It’s going to be a really exciting one. I’m very excited about this one, and I think it’s going to be special. It feels special to me.
The Real-Life Subject’s Openness Is A Good Sign
First announced in August this year, the forthcoming Boy George biopic is still only in early development at Sony-owned TriStar Pictures, and that status is reflected in Lee’s update. The film is likely still ways away from setting a cast and release date. However, George’s level of openness during this writing stage adds another reason to believe the music biopic will be an interesting, valuable project, besides what’s already been reported.
A previous attempt at developing a Boy George biopic dubbedKarma Chameleonwas first announced in April 2021 with British director Sacha Gervasi. However, Gervasi would later depart the project.
With initial reports suggesting the movie will primarily focus on the successful years of Culture Club, the film will likely beset between the new wave band’s formation in 1981 and its original dissolution 1986. It was during this time that Culture Club became synonymous with the second British Invasion of music into the U.S. charts. And with Primary Wave Music, the label that currently owns the music rights to both Culture Club and Boy George’s solo catalogs, set to co-produce, themovie will likely feature a great many of the songs that helped make Boy George a music icon.
10 Great Musicians That I Can’t Believe Haven’t Been The Subjects Of Biopics Yet
There are so many incredibly talented bands and musicians whose lives and legacy would make fascinating biopics or compelling feature films.
However, given that Lee’s script is said to draw directly from Boy George’s autobiographies, the movie’s account of its star’s rise to famewill not be without its share of darker moments. While having a subject executive produce a biopic can sometimes mean a weaker, image-conscious final project, this singer is known for his openness in speaking about his mental health journey and struggles with substance abuse. Lee’s script is unlikely to shy away from some of the less savory aspects of Culture Club’s initial success, and Boy George’s collaboration could make the movie more authentic to his experience.
Our Take On Boy George Getting His Own Movie
Music Biopics Are Increasingly Turning To The ’80s
Music biopics are far from a new phenomenon, and Hollywood has been taking audiences into the lives of the music industry’s biggest names for decades. Even Boy George himself had his story previously told via the 2010 television movieWorried About the Boy.However,2018’s Academy-Award winningBohemian Rhapsodyand 2019’sRocketmanappear to have significantly reignited interest in the genre, as well asplaced a greater emphasis on the musical figures of the 1980s.
While some more recent biopics, such as 2020’s David Bowie movieStardust,would ultimately fall well short of the success enjoyed by the movies that were centered on Freddy Mercury and Elton John, hopefully Lee’s script will fare much better. GivenBoy George’s significant impact on the 1980s music scene, coupled with his larger-than-life public persona and behind-the-scenes struggles, his rise to fame could prove to be a more than interesting watch.
