Hollywood’s music-biopic obsession isn’t just alive — it’s in full-blown overdrive. Here’s another one, and it already has an actress attached for the lead role (via Showbiz411).
Jessica Gunning (“Baby Reindeer”) is set to play Cass Elliot in a Mamas and the Papas biopic. The film will be produced by Veritas, the same company behind “A Complete Unknown.” Elliot was the lead singer of the band, fronting major hits like “California Dreamin’” and “Monday Monday.” The other members were founders John Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Michelle Phillips.
Elliot, who died very young, was part of the “Laurel Canyon” world of singer-songwriters, which included Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, among others. The stories I’ve read about her life are wild, but no, she didn’t die choking on a ham sandwich, as many still believe — it was a heart attack.
No director or writer is currently attached to the project, but Veritas is presumably in the process of hiring them as after years in development hell, the project is now in movement.
This is just one of dozens of music biopics in the works, with already greenlit projects set to tackle Blondie, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Madonna, KISS, Joni Mitchell, Lionel Richie, The Bee Gees, Carole King, Ronnie Spector, Janis Joplin, Dionne Warwick, Sinéad O’Connor, and Linda Ronstadt. We’re officially entering the onslaught phase.
Over the last eight years — ever since “Bohemian Rhapsody” kicked off this craze — films have been released about Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Elvis, Elton John, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse.
"Foreign Correspondent” marks the first time Kleber has publicly put a name to the project. And yes, ‘Secret Agent’ star Wagner Moura is coming back with him. We should have known this would be the case.