An untitled Boy George biopic is currently in the works at MGM. The studio is also working on the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic and is looking forward to the type of buzz Rocketman has created and the monetary success Bohemian Rhapsody was able to bring in. The Queen biopic is now the highest grossing music biopic in history, having earned over $900 million globally. Will Boy George be able to get those kind of numbers?
Boy George rose to fame in the early 1980s with his group Culture Club, where they sold over 100 Million singles and over 50 million records. Sacha Gervasi (My Dinner with Herve, Anvil: The Story of Anvil) is set to helm the project, which is in the early stages of development at the moment. Boy George is a true trailblazer in the world of pop music and was tackling LGBTQ stereotypes outwardly and outspokenly well before a lot people were. As a musician and activist, he was fearless and had no problem candidly discussing aspects of his life in interviews.
Sacha Gervasi has a lot of experience in crafting gripping stories from real-life source material. Anvil: The Story of Anvil is a groundbreaking documentary on a band that was practically the real-life Spinal Tap and Gervasi crafted the narrative that got the public consciousness. Jonathan Glickman, MGM’s Motion Picture Group President had this to say about the upcoming Boy George biopic.
“There is no filmmaker better suited than Sacha Gervasi to tell George’s confessional story with the irreverence and emotion it deserves. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with both of them to bring this remarkably honest and wildly entertaining tale to audiences around the world.”
Sacha Gervasi is going to have quite the story to tell when tackling the life of Boy George. The musician took a lot of grief for the way he presented himself in the 1980s, even though for some, he was more punk rock than anything that ever happened in the late 1970s. With that being said, Gervasi is excited for the opportunity to tell his story on the big screen. He explains.
“(Boy George) is a trailblazer and a true original. In the London clubs of the ’80s, George was impossible to miss and everyone knew he would be a star long before the world had ever heard a note of Culture Club’s iconic songs. As you can imagine, George’s life story is wickedly entertaining, yet also poignant and inspiring. I’m both honored and excited to be the one to guide it onto the big screen.”
There is no casting information set for the untitled Boy George biopic at this time, but that should be announced shortly, along with a production start. Taron Egerton portrays Elton John in Rocketman, which opens in theaters this week and could end up giving Bohemian Rhapsody some competition. With that being said, Boy George has a story which might be able to put them all to shame. Deadline was the first to announce the Boy George movie news.
