U2 Biopic Series In Development At Netflix With J. J. Abrams

Movies based on legendary acts are the rage now due to the success of titles like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rocketman." The former was based on the lives of Queen band members, while the other followed the life of Elton John. Other movies about stars like Elvis, Madonna, and Bob Marley are currently underway.

"U2" was one of the most famous bands during their time and still maintain their legendary status to date. Since their creation in the late '70s, the band has released over 10 studio albums and bagged no less than 22 Grammy awards. With feats like this, a biopic about them isn't surprising.

Unlike its counterparts, "U2" will not have a movie about them but a series. Netflix is currently developing the show with Bad Robot under J. J. Abrams producing it. Another famous face involved in the creation is Anthony McCarten, known for his stellar work on "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Via The Hollywood Reporter, plans for the legendary rock band "U2" scripted series are underway. The biopic is being developed by Netflix and written by McCarten, who penned down the Oscar winner "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Besides his much-applauded work on the "Bohemian Rhapsody" biopic, McCarten also wrote "The Two Popes" about Pope Benedict XV and his relationship with the future Pope Francis. "Darkest Hour" was about Winston Churchill, and "The Theory of Everything" was based on Stephen Hawking. All of which were nominated by the Academy Awards.

J.J Abrams and his Bad Robot Productions will oversee the project with Warner Bros., which currently has an expansive deal with the production company. The series details are being kept under wraps, and it isn't certain how much "U2" will be involved in the project. However, given that McCarten is involved, the plot will likely look into the band's history.

Known as one of the most famous bands, "U2" was first formed in 1976. They are some of the best-selling musical artists of all time. The members include Paul "Bono" Hewson, David "The Edge" Evans, Larry Mullen Jr., and Adam Clayton.

Since the band came together, they've produced around 14 studio albums and bagged 22 Grammy Awards. Although they haven't released music recently, the band is still touring, with the recent conclusion of their worldwide Joshua Tree Tour in 2019.

Their last album released was "Songs of Experience" in 2017. The band is also popular for including political statements in their music. Their third album, "War," had songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day.

The trend of making biopics about legendary musical acts is rampant now, so the news of the "U2" series isn't really surprising. The success of movies like "Bohemian Rhapsody," which won an Oscar, definitely spurred the interest.

There's also the success of the biopic on Elton John titled "Rocketman," which did commendably well upon its release. Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" will be released this year, and a movie about music legend Madonna is currently being cast. Other famous artists getting biopics are Bob Marley and Weird Al.

"U2" is noticeably different from the rest of the artist inspired movies because while the rest are stand-alone films, the Irish band's biopic is a series. Given that they had a career spanning over forty years, it's no surprise.

Abrams has certainly been busy since signing a huge deal with WarnerMedia in September 2019. His Bad Robot Productions is run with his wife, Katie McGrath, and is currently expanding their TV slate. Besides his involvement in the "U2" series, Abrams is working on some other DC titles.

He is involved in a planned Justice League Dark franchise with some feature shows like "Constantine" and "Madame X." A new adult animated series for Batman is also underway and will bring Abrams together with Matt Reeves, who he worked on "Felicity" with. Abrams also has his hand in producing a new Stephen King adaptation set in "Cloverfield."

Some original shows Abrams has his hand in include HBO's "Demimonde," whose pilot he'll direct, and Max's "Subject to Change." "Demimonde" is his first original show since he created "Fringe" for Fox.

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