You justknewit was coming this year… because Hollywood just can’t help itself. ADavid Bowiemovie titledStardustis in the works starringJohnny Flynn, the singer-turned-actor who recently starred in the indie dramaBeastand played a youngAlbert Einsteinon the National Geographic seriesGenius. He also starred oppositeAnne Hathawayin the indie movieSong One.
Gabriel Rangewill direct from a script byChristopher Bell, and the film will follow a young Bowie during his first visit to America in 1971 – a trip that inspired Bowie to create his iconic alter ego Ziggy Stardust.Jena Malone(Donnie Darko) will play Bowie’s first wife, Angie, whileGLOWstarMarc Maronwill play the publicist for Bowie’s record company. The soundtrack will be era-appropriate and will reportedly feature several Bowie tracks.
Stardusthails fromMcQueenproducer Salon Pictures, and it will be co-financed byChristopher Figgof Piccadilly Pictures. Film Constellation will begin shopping world sales at the upcoming EFM in Berlin next month. Production is slated to start in June and additional casting is already under way.
And speaking of films about beloved musicians, French actressValérie Lemercierhas signed on to write, direct and star in a movie based on the life of Canadian singerCéline DiontitledThe Power of Love. The $23 million film, which carries a fairly large budget for a French-language project, is not a biopic, but rather, a fictional “homage” that will draw heavily from the singer’s life, and will use many of her hit songs.
According toVariety, Lemercier will play a young woman named Aline, who “grows up in a large Canadian family, is discovered as a major talent in her teens, becomes a global sensation, and experiences the tragedy of losing her husband,” which is basically Dion’s life story, more or less.
Dion sold more than 200 million records en route to becoming a global superstar in the ’90s, which culminated with her iconic theme song toTitanic. French producerEdouard Weil(Climax,Nocturama) will produce in association withLaurent Zeitoun(Intouchables) and Caramel Films. Gaumont is backing the film and will introduce it to buyers at EFM as well as handle distribution in France. Production starts in March, and it’s expected to hit theaters in December of 2020.
Which film are you looking forward to the most? Is Flynn good casting for Bowie? Let me know in the comments section below!
