It seems like every major musical artist has found box-office success in the form of an Oscar-worthy biopic. From Timothée Chalamet starring in A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan to Rami Malek’s portrayal of Queen‘s Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, there are many rock star movies you need to add to your watchlist. P.S. If you need a goofy “biopic,” then Weird: The Al Yankovic Story starring Daniel Radcliffe is the flick for you.
In recent news, Green Day shared that they are currently developing a comedy movie inspired by their early days touring in a van called New Years Rev. While a release date is not yet confirmed, it’s clear that pop culture lovers are enthusiastic about seeing life through their favorite artists’ eyes. If it were up to us, these four music groups would be slated to be the topics of the next blockbuster biopics.
1. blink-182
blink-182 is one of pop-punk’s most storied and iconic acts. Throughout their more than two decades of performing, the band has experienced a variety of name and lineup changes, personal struggles, and beyond. In fact, they were first called Blink, but an Irish band of the same name had already called dibs. Notably, the “182” doesn’t mean anything. Mark Hoppus shared in an interview that the band often makes different stories of why they chose that number. When Travis Barker officially joined the band in 1998, the trio we often associate with the band name today was born.
After releasing beloved records such as Enema Of The State (1999), Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (2001), and Self-Titled (2003), the band took an indefinite hiatus in 2005. However, after Barker survived a plane crash, Tom DeLonge rekindled his friendship with Hoppus and Barker, and a band reunion was set in motion. A blink-182 biopic would be able to showcase the impermanence of life, and how making art with your best friends is always worth it.
2. Slipknot
Slipknot, one of the most prolific metal bands in modern history, deserves a biopic…or perhaps a limited series on HBO. (There’s a lot to cover!) Originally founded in 1995 in Des Moines, Iowa, by Shawn “Clown” Crahan and late artists Joey Jordison and Paul Gray, the band hit their stride with their debut self-titled LP in 1999 and even appeared on Ozzfest. From their evolving lineups, the creation of their masks, and their genuinely out-of-the-box, albeit disgusting approaches to making music, Slipknot truly is a band that no one else can hold a candle to.
While there are many unhinged documented moments of the band fighting onstage, drinking their own vomit, watching porn and snuff films before recording, one story stands out as movie-worthy. Current vocalist Corey Taylor shared that he recorded Iowa while naked and cutting himself with a broken candle. Clearly, this is an oversimplification of the winding, twisted story of Slipknot, but it is a story worth telling—one of overcoming the odds and becoming a worldwide phenomenon with wild visuals and aggressive, uninhibited tracks.
3. Bikini Kill
In 2013, The Punk Singer documentary made waves as it showcased Bikini Kill/Le Tigre frontwoman Kathleen Hanna as a leader of the riot grrrl movement. It featured interviews with the likes of Joan Jett, Carrie Brownstein, and Kim Gordon, as well as Hanna, herself. It is a fabulous documentary that every music fan should see. However, Bikini Kill deserves a biopic for their incredible story.
By combining feminist theory and punk music, Bikini Kill gave voice to those feeling alienated by the genre and also ruffled several feathers along the way. In fact, as noted in her 2024 memoir Rebel Girl, Hanna shared myriad instances of calling out sexual assault and abuse just to be met with misogyny and threats of violence. However, Hanna shared in an interview that, at a particularly scary show (there was a bomb threat), Bikini Kill felt encouraged to go onstage because of their women fans in the crowd singing “Rebel Girl.”
Playing such a vital role in shaping the world of women in punk, inspiring everyone from The Linda Lindas to Softcult, Bikini Kill deserves the major motion picture treatment to inspire even more generations ahead.
4. Rage Against The Machine
In today’s political climate, we need a Rage Against The Machine story shared far and wide now more than ever. The recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees have always been dedicated to making rap-infused heavy rock that is unapologetically anti-capitalist, anti-racist, anti-war, and more. Their progressive values have inspired a generation of listeners to fight back (and confused some listeners who didn’t understand that they are inherently political.)
Since their inception, Zack de la Rocha, Tim Commerford, Tom Morello, and Brad Wilk have used their platform to call it like they see it. And their activism is not only found in the lyrics of tracks such as “Killing In The Name” and “Bulls On Parade,” the band has often demonstrated on the streets and used their art publicly to craft a message. One band moment that could merit its own movie is when Rage Against The Machine filmed their “Sleep Now In The Fire” video in 2000 with director Michael Moore.
Read more: 5 Modern Bands Revitalizing The Riot grrrl Movement
The band set up on the steps of the New York Stock Exchange and Moore told the group, “‘No matter what happens, don’t stop playing.” The director didn’t have the permits he needed to make this happen, but the band played anyway and attracted a large crowd. As per usual, the police showed up to protect the interests of Wall Street. Moore was taken by police and Morello noted in Socialist Worker that “[a]bout 200 of us got through the first set of [NYSE] doors, but our charge was stopped when the Stock Exchange’s titanium riot doors came crashing down.”
Moore shared with Green Left WeekIy, “For a few minutes, Rage Against the Machine was able to shut down American capitalism, an act that I am sure tens of thousands of downsized citizens would cheer.”
Despite Rage Against The Machine’s multiple breakups and makeups, their messaging and story remain a vital one to tell as the issues they tackled in the ’90s and ’00s are, unfortunately, evergreen.
