Universal wins heated bidding war for Bon Jovi biopic but casting is still up in the air
A Bon Jovi biopic is now officially on the cards. Deadline confirmed that Universal Studios secured the rights to the biopic after a major bidding war to finance a feature film centered on the band's early years and subsequent rise to worldwide fame. Bon Jovi comprises the frontman and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, keyboardist David Bryan, bassist Hugh McDonald, and percussionist Everett Bradley.
Cody Brotter, who wrote the screenplay for the upcoming cryptocurrency thriller 'Killing Satoshi,' featuring Casey Affleck, has been roped in to pen the script for the Bon Jovi biopic. As of this writing, a director hasn't been finalized for the project. Similarly, the casting for the biopic is yet to commence.
Gotham Chopra and Kevin J. Walsh of Religion of Sports are on board as producers. Jacqueline Garell is the director of production development at Universal and will be overseeing the biopic on behalf of the studio. It is interesting to note that Chopra directed the four-part documentary 'Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story' back in 2024.
To date, Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million albums, according to a report by The Guardian. As a testimony to their decades-long contribution to music, the band was formally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The band is most well known for their iconic tracks 'You Give Love A Bad Name', 'It's My Life', and 'Livin' On A Prayer'.
Before becoming the frontman of one of the most popular bands of the 1980s, Jon Bongiovi was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and grew up in a blue-collar family. His interest in music was sparked at an early age after he was gifted an electric guitar for Christmas at thirteen.
Speaking with The Guardian about his formative years, Bongiovi had revealed, "When you’re that age, everybody thinks you’re gonna be a rock’n’roll star, and that you’re gonna really make it, I was just dumb enough to believe it.” He then went on to work at the Power Station recording studio in New York, where he was able to closely observe several music icons such as Diane Ross and Mick Jagger.
Biopics of famous musicians have been in fashion over the last few years, with 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' 'Bob Marley: One Love,' and 'Elvis' performing successfully at the box office. However, there have been other music biopics like 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere' and the Amy Winehouse biopic 'Back to Black', that haven't fared just as well. It remains to be seen whether the Bon Jovi biopic will make a mark.
