Bohemian Rhapsody’s Anthony McCarten in talks to script Bee Gees biopic
A week after announcing the film was going into development from Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King, Bohemian Rhapsody scribe Anthony McCarten has entered talks to pen the script for a biopic surrounding the iconic ’70s Grammy-winning pop group Bee Gees, according to The Wrap.
McCarten has been nominated for two Oscars for scripting the World War II period drama Darkest Hour and the 2015 Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything, while most recently having scripted Bohemian and the upcoming biographical drama The Two Popes. He is also attached to script a biopic surrounding The Beatles’ John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship.
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Formed by brothers Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb in 1958, the group began to rise to popularity in the late ’60s to early ’70s with the rise of the disco era, including writing and performing new singles for the film, namely the acclaimed dance hit “Stayin’ Alive,” as well as “How Deep is Your Love,” “Night Fever,” “More Than a Woman,” “Jive Talkin'” and “You Should Be Dancing.” They have sold over 220 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
After the death of Maurice in 2003, the group chose to retire the name of the Bee Gees for six years before Barry and Robin agreed to re-form and perform together in 2009, which kept their legacy alive for a few more years until Robin’s passing in 2012 due to liver and kidney failure, with Barry now performing solo in albums and concerts.
The studio purchased the life rights to the Gibbs family estate with the help of King, ensuring the group’s music will be featured in the film, with Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone all attached as either a producer or co-financier through their new banner Sister.
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The project would mark a return to the music biopic world for both Paramount and King, with the studio still enjoying the critical acclaim and modest financial success from its Elton John biopic Rocketman, which is still in the minds of Oscar voters as the awards season comes up, and the producer coming off of the smash Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed almost $1 billion worldwide and was nominated for five Oscars, winning four including Best Actor for Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) as the iconic Freddie Mercury.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
