This year's "The Runaways" earned some critic success at film festivals and decent box office revenues thanks to the star power of Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart, but not all music biopics are so lucky. Variety ran an article last week discussing how many such biopics linger in production hell for years before finally making their way to the big screen, if they make it at all.
"The Runaways" took more than four years to hit theaters (and that was with the help of band members Joan Jett and Cherie Currie), while other past successes like "Ray" took more than 13 years to make. That meant the idea to turn The Runaways' story into a film was 25 years after they became successful, while the idea to turn Ray Charles' story was 40 years after his success.
Well studios, you're in luck, because we're here to pitch you some ideas now of modern-day stars worthy of a biopic. That way you'll have a heads up of 10 to 15 years, so that down the line — when you decide you want to start the film reels rolling — you'll be ready!
The Disney Princesses
First there were Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan, now there are Ashley Tisdale, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato. The evolution and careers of the young starlets lucky enough to be chosen by Disney to earn their own shows is worthy of a critical research novel, let alone a film. Maybe a decade or so from now, Disney will be less of a pop star factory and the film would be an interesting look back at an earlier era, but we have a feeling a movie chronicling the evolution of Disney's royalty will still be relevant.
John Mayer
John Mayer has had an interesting transition over the past decade from his break out at SXSW and instant success with "Your Body Is A Wonderland" to his recent interview with Playboy magazine and showcasing of himself on Twitter. It is the side of himself — the one he has shown most recently as "tabloid John Mayer," if you will — that would lend itself best to a biopic. Plus we want to see who would be cast to play Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson 20 years in the future.
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks' career has spanned more than two decades, but it is the controversy that came after their 2003 London concert that really got us interested. Sure, the resulting repercussions to a comment lead singer Natalie Maines made about being ashamed President George W. Bush was from Texas was documented in the 2006 documentary "Shut Up and Sing," but we think that the incident would be great for a film in the future that really captures the post-9/11 Bush era.
Lil Wayne
The life ofLil Wayne has been interesting to say the least. He wrote his first rap song at age 8, first got involved in a rap record label at age 11, and has gone on to be one of the most successful rappers in recent years. He's a colorful character and, judging by his recent incarceration, isn't the best influence on little kids, but his career has had an interesting evolution. It hasn't been until recently that he has become truly successful, and was actually relatively disliked for the first 10 years of his serious rap career. That and we get a kick out of the fact he pretty much improvises every rap song on the spot in the recording studio. Props to anyone who can do that.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is doing for our generation what Madonna and David Bowie did in the '80s: illustrate just how far pop music can go. The hardest part of making a biopic about Lady Gaga would be casting it correctly, because she has made her story interesting all on her own. Her influence in both music and fashion is already revolutionizing the pop music industry , and we will place out bets on Gaga continuing to be a force to be reckoned with over the next decade.
If you could pitch a future music biopic to a movie studio, who would you want to see spotlighted?
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