Nowadays, music biopics are coming out seemingly every other year. In the last five years or so, studios have released biopics on Bob Dylan, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, and Whitney Houston. In other words, there are a lot of them, and studios are seemingly not slowing down. As a matter of fact, in the not-so-far future, we’re going to get a biopic on Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, and all four of The Beatles.
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In light of the surplus of music biopics coming out, we thought it would be a good idea to brainstorm which ones we’d want to see next, and who we’d like to be in them. That being said, here are three music biopics we must see and who we think should star in them.
Townes Van Zandt Played By Adam Driver
A biopic on Townes Van Zandt would probably not be a box office smash hit. But it would certainly be an exquisite indie film that would breed a cult following. The rise and fall of Townes Van Zandt is fascinatingly tragic, colorful, and worthy of both a literary and cinematic narrative.
In terms of aesthetics, Adam Driver is a perfect selection to play Townes Van Zandt. Subtextually, it seems Driver’s conviction and dedication as an actor could capture the nuances of Townes’ both lighthearted and melancholic personality. Frankly, we could go on for thousands of words about this. But for now, this will just have to do.
Dolly Parton Played By Scarlett Johansson
Out of all the biopics, why has a studio not made this one? Nevertheless, an abundance of content about Dolly Parton is currently out there. Though a full-length theatrical biopic is not one of them. Again, that is so surprising because a Dolly Parton biopic would certainly be a cash cow. Also, if done well, it could be a potential Oscar Best Picture contender.
Dolly Parton is a larger-than-life figure whose bubbly personality is contagious, and we believe Scarlett Johansson could best depict that thanks to her comic and dramatic chops. It seems the obvious selection for this role is Reese Witherspoon, but we’re going to push back on that opinion.
Robert Johnson Played By Miles Caton
Robert Johnson‘s life is a folkloric tale covered in both fact and fiction. Bottom line, it has all the makings of an incredible screenplay. Given the setting in which he grew up, it has the potential to be a beautifully shot movie as well. The potential for this film is limitless.
If you’ve seen Sinners, then we don’t need to explain any more why we believe Miles Caton would be perfect for this role. If you haven’t, just trust us, this is a match made in heaven, as Caton is a superb blues player and singer already. To be frank, Caton’s presence in this film just might be one of the best music biopics of all time.
Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images
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