The 1990s reggae rock band Sublime will get the biopic treatment from 3000 Pictures and Chernin Entertainment with “Hunger Games” filmmaker Francis Lawrence directing and “Ozark” showrunner Chris Mundy writing the script, Sony Pictures said Thursday.
The film will tell the story of how Long Beach musicians Bradley Nowell, Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh became the leading figures of the ’90s alternative rock wave with a trio of albums that fused rock, reggae and ska punk among other influences. While the band developed a devoted following during their career from 1988 to 1996, it wasn’t until Nowell’s untimely death from a heroin overdose in 1996 that songs like “What I Got” and “Santeria” became breakthrough chart-toppers and made Sublime one of the most successful bands of the decade.
Lawrence will also produce with Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and David Ready from Chernin Entertainment, Dave Kaplan of Surfdog/DKM and Peter Paterno of KHPS. Wilson and Gaugh will be executive producers on the film with Nowell’s wife and son, Troy and Jakob. Scott Seine and Cameron MacConomy will also be executive producers.
“Wow — we can’t believe this is finally happening and we couldn’t be more honored and excited to have the great Francis Lawrence and Chris Mundy telling our story. We are so grateful to Peter Paterno and Dave Kaplan/Surfdog for their years of persistence and vision in getting this film going and thankful to Sony’s 3000 Pictures and Chernin Entertainment for believing in us and getting it on the big screen,” said Sublime and Nowell’s family in a statement. “We know Bradley’s talent and spirit will be part of this incredible journey.”
“We’re thrilled Sublime’s insanely cool and important story will finally be told,” manager Dave Kaplan said. “They were fearless and pioneering in bringing together so many musical genres, cultures, and lifestyles during their short time as a band, and their music is still influencing musicians and artists to this day. Peter Paterno and I spent the last 6 years searching for the right partners and we are pinching ourselves with this “Dream Team” of Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva at 3000 Pictures, Francis Lawrence, Chris Mundy and the Chernin folks and can’t wait to see this film get made.”
Marisa Paiva is overseeing the project for 3000 Pictures with Jamie Spetner, director of development at Chernin Entertainment, overseeing for Chernin.
Lawrence, who directed the “Hunger Games” sequels “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay,” is attached to direct the series’ prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” for Lionsgate as well as the Netflix fantasy film “Slumberland” starring Jason Momoa. Mundy has just finished a four-season run with the hit Netflix series “Ozark,” which earned him five Emmy nominations.
Lawrence is repped by CAA, Three Arts, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, L.L.P and ID. Mundy is repped by CAA, Grandview, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, L.L.P. Sublime is repped by Peter Paterno & Joe Carlone for King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP.
The project was first reported by Deadline.