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The dreaded, eventual GN’R biopic


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“Everything’s eventual” - Stephen King, 2002.

Apologies if this has already been discussed (presumably at length) on this forum.. but, I recently watched (nay, endured*) the Sex Pistols series on Disney+. As expected, much like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, it was a schlocky, saccharin, and borderline unwatchable examination of a band who, like Elton and Freddie, deserved a lot better. Completely void of nuance or humour.

(Don’t get me started on ‘The Dirt’. I’m pretty sure watching that gave me long Covid.)

Anyway - as these biopics become more and more of a given in the rock world, how do we feel about the eventual GNR biopic?

My feeling is, if they avoid the usual ‘how they made it big’ arc, it could be cool. Something like ‘Love & Mercy’ - which focuses on Brian Wilson’s abusive relationship with his therapist in later life - that would be cool. You just can’t summarise these legendary careers in 1hr50. That’s why Bo Rap and Rocketman suck. I’d love to see a proper film about Axl in the late 90s, in the wilderness years. Dealing with depression, examining his relationship with fame whilst his career stalled, and how he found solace and support with a Brazilian family. Or even his adolescence with Izzy, like in Nowhere Boy (another example of a GOOD biopic, along with L&M).. focus in on a specific period and really tear it apart, rather than a broad strokes overview of 35 years. 
 

Yes it’s pretentious, but if you want a quick and fun ‘GNR life story’ about their glory years, just listen to Appetite. 
 

What do you reckon? 

Edited by Billy Cundy
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The only way I see a GNR biopic being remotely interesting is if Axl writes a book of his own, describing the wilderness years and CD era in great detail. If his truth matches the mystery, I can see it being highly interesting viewing, perhaps even leading up to the reunion as an ending of sorts.

Now, maybe that era of GNR is the absolute last ground any film executive would touch if they had an opportunity to make a biopic. I just feel that while the debaucherous rise-to-glory stories have grown stale, the potential character analysis of an enigma like Axl Rose during such a mysterious time would be a very fulfilling use of 120 minutes. 

All of this would obviously require approval from GN’R, so any point is obsolete perhaps. (At least until the relevancy runs dry!)

EDIT: Just realised I basically expanded on Billy Cundy’s point. Lol

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2 hours ago, Billy Cundy said:

...and how he found solace and support with a Brazilian family. 

Correction:

...and how a Brazilian family infiltrated the Malibu house and detached him further from reality and world class band managers.

Edited by ©GnrPersia
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1 hour ago, Jakey Styley said:

I just don’t see Axl allowing it unless given full creative control, which he is too lazy to do anyway

 

1 hour ago, Gordon Comstock said:

Didn't Slash say just recently there won't be a GNR movie? Rock biopics are cringey anyway, I hope they never make one.

The Perfect Crime doc and '06 and '10 docs would be really interesting though.

If Axl sadly leaves this mortal realm and he’s not around to stop it….. can you really imagine everyone involved isn’t going to cash in?….

I totally agree though, I hate 90% of biopics. 

Slash talks big but then shows up in bank adverts 🤷‍♀️

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1 hour ago, ©GnrPersia said:

Correction:

...and how a Brazilian family infiltrated the Malibu house and detached him further from reality and world class band managers.

Yeah, see, that sounds like a good movie!! Like ‘Parasite’ or something. Fuck it, have it all in Portuguese… or even Korean. Get whacky with it. Anything but the usual tripe. 
 

if there is a god, it won’t happen at all.. but let’s see…

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2 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

Didn't Slash say just recently there won't be a GNR movie? Rock biopics are cringey anyway, I hope they never make one.

The Perfect Crime doc and '06 and '10 docs would be really interesting though.

Yeah, Slash has said that quite a few times through the years, both in regards to a GN'R biopic and a biopic based on his book (but said he wanted the UYI documentary to be released and that he'd like Oliver Stone to direct it). And I can't imagine Axl ever wanting a biopic either.

Edited by Blackstar
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Somewhat related:

The head of the production company that made the Axl documentary for Reelz:

BIGGEST TV-RELATED LEGAL PICKLE YOU’VE GOT YOURSELF INTO?

We made a programme about the life of the Guns N’Roses singer, Axl Rose. Despite having not seen the film – which wasn’t in any way damaging to him – he tried to stop it going out. He threatened legal action, then the band got on board and Sony Records fired warning shots. Our small company received a lot of letters from these powerful institutions which was stressful but we had a fantastic American lawyer who addressed all of their concerns. The programme went out and all the legal issues disappeared.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcast-network/twenty-questions-ed-taylor-honey-bee-tv/5173737.article

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19 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Somewhat related:

The head of the production company that made the Axl documentary for Reelz:

BIGGEST TV-RELATED LEGAL PICKLE YOU’VE GOT YOURSELF INTO?

We made a programme about the life of the Guns N’Roses singer, Axl Rose. Despite having not seen the film – which wasn’t in any way damaging to him – he tried to stop it going out. He threatened legal action, then the band got on board and Sony Records fired warning shots. Our small company received a lot of letters from these powerful institutions which was stressful but we had a fantastic American lawyer who addressed all of their concerns. The programme went out and all the legal issues disappeared.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcast-network/twenty-questions-ed-taylor-honey-bee-tv/5173737.article

That’s interesting… they just said ‘fuck you, it’s getting released’… i mean… that’s some real GN’R spirit really,  innit?! 
 

I don’t disagree by the way, there’s about as much chance of Axl signing off on a biopic as there is Susan and the McKagan girls asking me if I’d like to feature in a mixed-gender bikini photoshoot… but then if poor old Axl isn’t around at some point… who’s going to go against a fat cheque from Paramount or WB? If Reelz (who judging by their content, I’m pretty their organisation is run by a few kids in a trench coat pretending to be a grown up) can just get away with it… imagine Disney+ or Netflix getting the rights ?!

Edited by Billy Cundy
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6 hours ago, Billy Cundy said:

 

If Axl sadly leaves this mortal realm and he’s not around to stop it….. can you really imagine everyone involved isn’t going to cash in?….

I totally agree though, I hate 90% of biopics. 

Slash talks big but then shows up in bank adverts 🤷‍♀️

 

I think a slightly more realistic (and better) option would be to sell their documentary footage to netflix or something. A successful netflix series about the band would be infinitely better than a biopic. Call it 'Illusions of Democracy' or something, start with the Perfect Crime footage showing the craziness of the UYI tour, then the CD era documentary footage, have Axl, Slash and Duff give some commentary throughout and end it with them talking about the NITL era.

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4 hours ago, El Nono Pololo said:

Wasn't there a leak of an extract of a book Axl was supposedly writing? Or did I dream that?

 

I don't think there was ever a leak, but MSL mentioned it and Axl mentioned in the '08 chats he'd written something he called "Honor Among Thieves II". (I think that's what he called it?)

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I cant imagine someone like Axl Rose being remotely interested in a potential cringe fest biopic.  The media have over the years from my reading, tended to twist and sensationalise events surrounding him and not in a good way.  Who in their right mind would want more of this shit.  I bet the band doesn't.  An autobiography written by Rose himself would be an interesting read, but I suspect he has a very complex story that would be difficult to tell.  I doubt he would bother unless he felt he had something to say and wanted to get it out there.  If I had his money I could think of better things to do.

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Nice idea but fat chance. Like with anything from behind the curtain regarding GNR. This would be a lot of very private, delicate material, which would not only need Axl's consent, but downright direct supervision/cooperation. We might as well want him to release a book - and we know what he said about that in 2016...

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4 hours ago, Hollyangel said:

I cant imagine someone like Axl Rose being remotely interested in a potential cringe fest biopic.  The media have over the years from my reading, tended to twist and sensationalise events surrounding him and not in a good way.  Who in their right mind would want more of this shit.  I bet the band doesn't.  An autobiography written by Rose himself would be an interesting read, but I suspect he has a very complex story that would be difficult to tell.  I doubt he would bother unless he felt he had something to say and wanted to get it out there.  If I had his money I could think of better things to do.

I agree but I’d argue there’s more chance of a studio waiting til he’s dead and attaining the rights so they can make a shit film, than there is Axl actually penning an autobiography.

 

TB and his therapists are probably doing all they can to stop him revisiting his bizarre past now he’s gained some equilibrium. 

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3 minutes ago, Billy Cundy said:

I agree but I’d argue there’s more chance of a studio waiting til he’s dead and attaining the rights so they can make a shit film, than there is Axl actually penning an autobiography.

 

TB and his therapists are probably doing all they can to stop him revisiting his bizarre past now he’s gained some equilibrium. 

Yes I doubt he would want to drag up it all up again and relive his past publicly.   There is no real point in it for him, way too much drama.  My guess is that it would be painful and unnecessary at this point in time.  On the shit film, once he is dead at least he wont care and hopefully it will be far enough in the future that no-one else will either.

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