Ridley Scott Directing Bee Gees Movie for Paramount

Another new musical biopic is now in the works, with the help of legendary director Ridley Scott. On Thursday, reports revealed that Scott is in negotiations to direct a currently-untitled biopic centered around the beloved disco group the Bee Gees. The film would be distributed by Paramount Pictures, with Scott producing alongside producing partner Michael Pruss of Scott Free, Graham King through his GK Films banner, and Stacey Snider. Bee Gees member Barry Gibb is among the film’s executive producers. John Logan (The Aviator, Michael) wrote the script.

According to reports, the decision for Scott to direct the Bee Gees movie came after early footage of his forthcoming Gladiator 2 impressed executives. He also has a personal connection to the Bee Gees, as the group’s manager, Robert Stigwood, was instrumental to the launching of his directing career. Scott was originally poised to direct Castle Accident, a medieval movie starring the members of the Bee Gees, but the project did not come to fruition.

What Is Gladiator 2 About?

The Gladiator sequel will star Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Lucilla, The youth was the nephew of Commodus, the weaselly son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father seized the throne and wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus, who though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great beyond to reunite with his slain wife and son. Maximus saved the boy and his mother while avenging his own family, and left a strong impression on the young Lucius. Gladiator 2 will also star Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, May Calamawy, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah, and Matt Lucas. The film is directed by Ridley Scott, off of a script from David Scarpa.

“First of all, I love doing period films. I love the research. I love to create sort of smells of the period,” Scott told the press in 2021. “I think what we did with the first Gladiator…I don’t like being critical of other things that have happened before, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hollywood Roman epics, honestly. They felt artificial and so, when I was asked to consider a script, the script was not very good. But the person who gave it to me said, I want to show you one thing, and he picked up an illustration, this is true, it’s called For Those About to Die by Gérôme. He holds it up. It’s a picture of this big painting of the Coliseum, and in the corner there is this guy, about to tuna fork this poor bastard,” Scott added. “He’s got this thing in his neck, and he’s looking up for permission to kill. I went, bloody hell, that’s never been done properly before. Never. I said, I’ll do it. He said you will? I said yes. Did you want to read the script? I said no, and we went off and hit the ground running around the table, and evolved the new material.”

What do you think of Ridley Scott signing on to direct a Bee Gees biopic? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

h/t: Deadline