Bon Jovi Music Biopic in the Works at Universal

Bon Jovi is getting the big screen treatment.

Universal has won a bidding war to back a feature film about the rock band behind hits like “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “It’s My Life.”

Cody Brotter, who penned the upcoming crypto thriller “Killing Satoshi,” starring Pete Davidson and Casey Affleck, is writing the screenplay. A director has not been set, nor has casting for the group’s key members, including singer and frontman Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley and bassist Hugh McDonald.

Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. It’s unclear what chapter from the band’s history will anchor the movie, and whether it’ll focus on one formative event, à la “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” or if it’ll be more expansive like the Elton John biopic “Rocketman.”

Producers on the Bon Jovi movie include Kevin J. Walsh and Gotham Chopra of Religion of Sports. Universal’s director of production development Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project for the studio.

Music-centric biopics have been hugely popular at the box office, with recent hits including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Elvis” and “Bob Marley: One Love.” Not every movie that’s inspired by musicians has connected, with “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” and the Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” among major flops. Universal has international rights to the upcoming “Michael” film about Michael Jackson, which is set to release in April. Meanwhile, Sam Mendes is currently working on four interconnected “Beatles” movies at Sony.

Via: Variety