Ridley Scott Directing Biopic of Iconic 70s Band
Musician biopics have endured as a genre for decades, drawing high-end talent and critical praise. Even so, it seems strange that Ridley Scott has been announced as the director of the upcoming biopic about 70s legends The Bee Gees. Fans of both Alien and disco shouldn’t get too excited yet as the deal isn’t settled and hasn’t even entered preproduction yet.
How Deep Is Your Bee Gees Biopic
Despite being an A-list director, Ridley Scott is a bit of an odd choice to direct a music biopic as it’s so different from the movies he’s most well known for. His most notable film is Alien, a sci-fi horror masterpiece full of tension and subtext with a dark style that couldn’t be more different from the typical biopic or the image of the Bee Gees. However, Scott does have a lot of experience dealing with real-life history in films like Gladiator, and most recently Napoleon, though the subjects of those films are quite different from a disco band.
RIdley Scott Has Night Fever
The Bee Gees are an interesting group for a biopic, which may be part of why Ridley Scott chose to take on the project. The band was hugely successful during the disco craze of the 70s becoming one of the most popular bands in the world on the back of hits like “Stayin’ Alive” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” However, the band’s history is much more complicated, going back to the 60s, giving Ridley Scott plenty of room to find less-known moments to introduce to audiences, while still giving audiences the iconic moments they want to see.
Scott May Find Interest In When They Stopped Stayin Alive
Another element that may have attracted Ridley Scott to a Bee Gees project is the band’s fall from fame as the disco craze came to an end. While the 70s disco craze and the movie Saturday Night Fever helped make The Bee Gees into a household name it also linked them with movement so when the backlash against disco came the band suffered along with it. This darker, more dire part of the band’s narrative is much more in line for the director of dark films like Thelma and Louise.
Biopics Are Doing Well
It’s a good time for fans of the musician biopic even before this announcement, with recent films in the genre garnering a lot of praise and attention, making Ridley Scott’s decision to take on a Bee Gees biopic make a bit more sense. Right now Bob Marley: One Love is finding success in theaters beating Madame Web in the box office soundly despite negative critical reception. Meanwhile, in 2019 the Elton John biopic Rocketman was seen as elevating the genre, garnering critical praise and winning numerous awards.
Before The Bee Gees… The Arena!
Ridley Scott’s untitled Bee Gees biopic is still in the planning stages, so obviously details are still very scarce. It’s being produced by GK Films and distributed by Paramount, the same studio currently finding success with Bob Marley: One Love right now. While fans of The Bee Gees will have to wait for more information on the movie, Ridley Scott fans don’t have to wait too long, with Gladiator 2 set to release on November 22.
