A biopic centered around the life of George Michael and the rise of Wham! is reportedly in the works. While nothing is confirmed about the film so far, it’s believed that one of the stars of White Lotus Season 2 could star as the iconic musician.
With an expected budget of over $100 million, the scope of the movie will cover Michael’s career from his Wham! days to his later success as a solo artist. Not many names are attached to the production of the film, but it has been endorsed by Michael’s family and estate. The movie would follow in the footsteps of other musician biopics, such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, and Elvis.
According to The Daily Mail, Divergent‘s Theo James could take on the lead role of George Michael. When asked about the possibility of taking on the role in an interview with a US broadcaster, James seemed keen, saying: “Oh yeah, I would love that. He is an icon. He is a bit Greek and I am a bit Greek (referring to his Greek Cypriot father).”
James most recently starred in White Lotus but also appeared as the male lead in both the HBO series The Time Traveler’s Wife and the Divergent film series that began in 2014, opposite Rose Leslie and Shailene Woodley respectively. He has also previously paid key roles in Dual and Mr. Malcolm’s List, and is due to star in the upcoming series The Gentlemen, based on the 2019 film by Guy Ritchie.
The film would also reportedly not shy away from Michael’s personal struggles, including his drug addiction and other scandals. The screenplay is still in progress, with casting and crew recruitment taking place once the script and plot is finalized. There’s also no word on which studio (if any) has picked the movie up.
(featured image: HBO)
