The trio of brothers were stars of the disco era.
The Big Picture
- Ridley Scott announced a Bee Gees biopic at CinemaCon, adding to his busy slate of projects.
- The Bee Gees, a trio of brothers known for disco hits, achieved immense success over the years.
- The legendary director, turning 87 this year, will explore new territory with a musical biopic.
Ridley Scott cannot, and will not, stop announcing new projects. The legendary director’s latest film was announced at Paramount’s presentation at this year’s CinemaCon, as reported by Collider’s Steve Weintraub and Britta DeVore: a biopic of The Bee Gees, the trio of brothers whose high-pitched harmonies dominated the charts during the disco era, making them one of the highest-selling musical acts of all time.
Scott was at CinemaCon to promote Gladiator II, the long-in-the-works sword-and-sandal sequel that is slated for release in November. Last year, he released Napoleon, another years-in-the-making epic. The Bee Gees will have something less of an epic sweep, but a musical biopic is new territory for the veteran helmer, who will turn 87 this year. Barry Gibb, the sole surviving Gibb brother, will executive produce, while Graham King, Stacey Snider, Michael Pruss, and Scott will produce.
Who Are The Bee Gees?
Born in the UK, and later moving to Australia, Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb formed the Bee Gees in 1958. The trio had hits in both countries over the next few decades, but their career turning point came in 1977, when they were commissioned to write the soundtrack for the seminal disco dance film Saturday Night Fever. The film and soundtrack both became blockbusters, making a star out of leading man John Travolta; the soundtrack spawned a bevy of hit singles, including “Stayin’ Alive”, “How Deep Is Your Love”, and “You Should Be Dancing”. The group continued to have hits throughout the early ’80s, but their popularity declined as the disco era died out. However, they had several revivals over the years, as fans came to appreciate their musicianship and songwriting skills; over the years, the Bee Gees have sold over 120 million records. Maurice died of cardiac arrest at age 53 in 2003, and Robin died of cancer at 63 in 2012, putting an end to the group. Younger brother Andy Gibb had a successful solo career, as well, but died at 30 after struggling with substance abuse.
This won’t be the Bee Gees’ first foray into film; the trio starred alongside fellow ’70s pop star Peter Frampton in the ill-fated 1978 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an all-star jukebox musical celebrating (and desecrating) the Beatles’ greatest album. Frank Marshall‘s 2020 HBO documentary, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, was considerably better-received.
Ridley Scott’s Bee Gees biopic is currently in development; no release date has yet been set. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.