One Mega Deal Could Ignite a Biopic Boom for David Bowie, Madonna, and More Music Icons

So, the music biopic gravy train isn’t slowing down anytime soon—actually, it’s about to get even more crowded. Paramount just inked a major deal with Warner Music Group that could turn a bunch of iconic musicians’ life stories into movies. On a practical level, this deal gives Paramount first dibs on movies about pretty much anyone tied to Warner’s massive song catalog. In other words, if you’ve got a favorite legendary singer, there’s a decent chance someone’s already drafting an outline for their biopic.

Why Now? Well, People Actually Show Up for These Things

Let’s be honest—the success of ‘Michael’ (that’s the Michael Jackson biopic), plus the earlier box office hits like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (Freddie Mercury), ‘Rocketman’ (Elton John), and ‘Elvis’ (not to be confused with any of the dozen other Elvis movies), probably made studio execs hungry for more. These films can be hit or miss, but when they work, they rake it in. With this new deal, Paramount and Warner are hoping lightning strikes at least a few more times.

Who’s on the Chopping Block (Or, the Casting Couch)?

Warner Music Group has a frankly ridiculous roster of names that would fit the biopic formula—some are overdue, others might be a bit of a reach. But here’s a non-exhaustive look at who’s now fair game:

• David Bowie (a favorite for “how hasn’t there already been one?”)
• Madonna (if anyone can make her story work without getting sued...)
• Aretha Franklin (another voice that changed music)
• Joni Mitchell (get ready for Oscars in the Best Wig category)
• Cher (immortal; could play herself?)
• Frank Sinatra (let’s see if Scorsese finally gets to make his version)
• Fleetwood Mac (seriously, how has this not happened—just adapting the ‘Rumours’ sessions alone could fill two movies)
• The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and plenty of others from Warner’s deep bench

The list goes on—and pretty much anyone with a compelling backstory, chart success, or enough exes with grudges could get the green light.

But What About Today’s Pop Stars?

If you’re expecting Dua Lipa or Cardi B’s wild ride to hit theaters next, don’t hold your breath for a feature film. The industry is slower to immortalize modern acts, mostly because their last album probably dropped while you were reading this paragraph. But—side note—Warner Music did sign a separate deal with Netflix for music documentaries focusing on today’s talent (think Charli XCX, Bruno Mars, etc.). So, at minimum, there’s a good chance you’ll see streaming docs pop up about current artists long before we get full-blown biopics about them.

And Now, the Obligatory Studio Exec Quote

'With Warner Music Group’s astonishing library of artists and songwriters, there’s way more fertile ground for movies than people might realize.'

Translation: if you thought we were running out of music biographies, trust me, there’s plenty more where that came from.

The Bottom Line

A Paramount-Warner first-look pact like this doesn’t mean your favorite artist’s movie is already filming, but it sends a serious signal. Hollywood’s music-movie pipeline is wide open, especially for those big names from the past fifty years. Expect at least a handful of these projects to make it to production (and then, inevitably, award campaigning season).

Whether this all leads to more genuinely great biopics or some mediocre cash-ins, well...we’ll have to see. All I know is, if there’s not at least one fantastically dramatic Fleetwood Mac movie by 2026, someone missed a golden opportunity.