Given the success of Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody, we may now see a lot more music biopics. One intriguing idea is a take on the life of David Bowie, with Rocketman producer Matthew Vaughn apparently interested in building off the praise for the Elton John movie.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Vaughn was enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing Bowie’s life to the big screen, saying:
“If I was allowed to direct a movie about David Bowie, that would be my dream come true. It’s Bowie. His music is second to none. No, equal to Elton.”
Bowie certainly has a fascinating life story, and a catalogue of songs that would translate well to on-screen interpretation. A take on his life titled Stardust is reportedly already being made though, focusing on the early years of the performer’s life. Vaughn doesn’t seem keen on this idea, however, remarking:
“Doing a movie about Bowie without the music sounds f–king stupid to me, but maybe that’s just me being a bit cynical.”
Treating Bowie’s life in the same way as Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody might not be the best approach, though. For one, Bowie was a charismatic actor who arguably already played versions of himself in films like Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth, not to mention his many roles in Labyrinth, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and others.
One filmmaker who will likely steer clear of any biopic is Bowie’s own son, Moon and Warcraft director Duncan Jones. On Twitter, Jones addressed rumours in a somewhat playful way:
They insist I take a meeting on a biopic about my dad.
Who do I say must play him?— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) December 16, 2018
What might work better than the treatment seen in recent music biopics is the style adopted by Todd Haynes for I’m Not There, where the life of Bob Dylan is told with multiple actors. This approach would certainly be in keeping with Bowie’s chameleonic personality, while Dylan actor Tilda Swinton is a good shout for playing the musician. Whatever happens, Matthew Vaughn’s future seems to be tied up for the moment with the Kingsman franchise, which will be keeping him busy for the next little while.
Could David Bowie’s life story benefit from the Rocketman treatment, though? If so, who would be your dream director and star? As always, let us know in the comments section below.