A George Michael biopic is reportedly moving forward with Theo James. Per The Daily Mail, James, who recently appeared in the second season of The White Lotus, has been tapped to play Michael in a new biopic about the late singer. According to the report, James hasn’t officially signed on but is said to be the favorite for the role. With a budget that will cost upwards of $100 million, the plan is for the movie to cover Michael’s career from his Wham! days to his later success as a solo artist. It’s unclear who’s working on the film, but it’s coming with the endorsement of Michael’s family.
Word is that Michael’s personal struggles will not be “glossed over” in the film either, acknowledging his drug addiction and other scandals. The idea is to tell Michael’s story “warts and all,” and as the screenplay gets wrapped up, the filmmakers’ goal is to have James sign on. It’s noted in the report that in addition to his acclaimed work as an actor, James is also of Greek heritage, as was Michael. James even named that as a reason he’d be interested in the role when asked about it in a recent interview.
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“Oh yeah, I would love that. He is an icon. He is a bit Greek and I am a bit Greek,” James is quoted as saying.
“The script is in the final stages and producers are looking for their leading man,” an unnamed source involved with the film was also quoted. “Theo’s name is the one on everyone’s lips. He would be perfect for the part. This is George’s story, warts and all.”
Last year, James also appeared as one of the two leads alongside Rose Leslie in the HBO series The Time Traveler’s Wife. He could also be seen in the films Dual and Mr. Malcolm’s List. Meanwhile, James is also attached to star in the upcoming series The Gentlemen, based on the 2019 film by Guy Ritchie, who will direct the first two episodes. Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, and Vinnie Jones also star.
Related: Theo James’ 7 Best Performances, Ranked
George Michael May Be the Next Singer to Get the Biopic Treatment
Michael, who sold more than 120 million records worldwide, is one of the most revered and accomplished singers of all time. In addition to his high sales, Michael has won a slew of awards for his music, including Grammys, American Music Awards, Brit Awards, and Billboard Music Awards, among others. The singer died of heart disease in 2016 at the age of 53.
Many other biopics have been getting made after the smash success of movies like Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, and, more recently, Elvis. A new biopic about Whitney Houston was recently released in theaters, while several more are in the works for other music legends. That includes new movies for names like Buddy Holly, Amy Winehouse, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Sublime, Milli Vanilli, and George Clinton, among others.
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