Ridley Scott is set to direct an untitled musical biopic centered around the Bee Gees.
The English director will be producing with Graham King for GK Films, Stacey Snider, and Michael Pruss for Scott Free, with Paramount distributing the film, per Deadline.
The Bee Gees, a British-Australian trio comprising the Gibb brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice, achieved immense success in the 1960s and ’70s, becoming one of the top-selling musical artists with hits like How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Too Much Heaven, Nights on Broadway, and Stayin’ Alive.
Barry, the only surviving brother, will executive produce the film.
At 86 years old, Scott, showing no signs of slowing down, debuted his Napoleon biopic led by Joaquin Phoenix in November, and he is presently applying the finishing touches to the sequel of his 2000 blockbuster, Gladiator.
Ridley Scott is set to direct an untitled musical biopic centered around the Bee Gees; pictured November 2023
The Bee Gees, a British-Australian trio comprising the Gibb brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice, achieved immense success in the 1960s and ’70s; pictured 1977
And early footage of Gladiator 2 has ‘blown execs away,’ per the outlet.
Additionally, the script for the Bee Gees biopic was penned by Scott’s Gladiator writer John Logan.
The news comes after Paul Mescal joked he would be ‘depressed’ if Gladiator 2 propelled him to ‘super stardom’.
The Irish actor, 27, is set to play the main character in the upcoming sequel, originally starring Russell Crowe.
Mescal will portray Lucius, the nephew of Emperor Commodus (portrayed by Phoenix) and the secret son of Russell’s character Maximus.
Speaking to The Sunday Times about what he things life will be like after the sequel comes out, he said: ‘I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naïve? Is it just that more people will stop you in the street?’
He then confessed: ‘I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if [the film] impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot.’
Paul quipped that if he were to experience a meteoric rise, he’d follow the film with something that wouldn’t appeal to the audience, saying: ‘I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.’
At 86 years old, Scott, showing no signs of slowing down, as he is presently applying the finishing touches to the sequel of Gladiator; pictured on Gladiator set in 2000
The Bee Gees became one of the top-selling musical artists with hits like How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Too Much Heaven, Nights on Broadway, and Stayin’ Alive; pictured 1977
Barry, the only surviving brother, will executive produce the film; pictured December 2023
Paul Mescal has voiced his hopes that Gladiator 2 will not propel him to super stardom, saying it would make him ‘profoundly depressed’; pictured March
Paul has reportedly undergone a stunning physical transformation for the part and recently showed off his ripped physique on social media
Russell will not be featured in the sequel after his character’s death at the end of the first movie.
The film also stars Denzel Washington, whose character has yet to be revealed, but is thought to be a slave-turned arms and commodity dealer who harbours a grudge against the emperor.
Connie Neilsen will reprise her role as Lucilla, Lucius’ mother, while Derek Jacobi will also return as a Roman Senator Gracchus.
Pedro Pascal and Matt Lucas are among the new cast members, and Stranger Things’ breakout star Joseph Quinn will play Emperor Caracalla, while Fred Hechinger replaced Barry Keoghan as Emperor Geta.
Gladiator 2 is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2024.
