There is never an end to the overflowing adulation of a beloved celebrity especially when they meet an untimely end. The obsession and curiosity lingers long after their passing and fosters a breeding ground for fables and tales that take on a life of their own.
Hollywood is always in the background with eyes and ears wide open ready to capitalize on their expired products even if they lovingly package their vehicle as a touching tribute. Whatever the case there seems to be a number of projects in the pipeline with impressive talent attached that aim to revive the complicated and glamorous lives of some of the most influential characters of our time.
Princess Diana was a global darling and her tragic death in the summer of 1997 will be the focus of a new film starring Naomi Watts that is scheduled for release in 2013.
Another biopic in the works stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, as the Nigerian musician and authorial activist Fela Kuti. It is to be directed by British filmmaker Steve McQueen who is making quite a name for himself in Hollywood, thanks to his graphically intense and erotically charged drama, Shame that starred his favorite collaborator, actor Michael Fassbender. The potentially project is still in the development stage.
Andre “3000” Benjamin from Outkast will be flexing his acting muscles and drawing from his vibrant musical background to embody the soul of sixties legend Jimi Hendrix. It’s already in production and we can’t wait to see the end result especially when rumors have been rampant that the Hendrix estate is not supporting this venture. The tentatively titled All is By My Side, will not feature any of the deceased singer’s music. But we have a feeling that if anyone can pull this off, it would be Andre 3000.
Grace Kelly transformed from a Hollywood ingénue to a real life Princess, and no screenwriter could have come up with a better script but the real challenge is finding the perfect actress who can capture the luminosity of the American born beauty. Once Nicole Kidman became attached, all the other elements fell into place, and now its full speed ahead. The story will focus more on the late Princess’ political achievements including her intervention during a tense period involving her principality Monaco and the sovereign France. This definitely has Oscar plastered all over it.