Very rarely do we get to see a spotlight shone on an artist through a cinematic lens. With Michael, the world received an in-depth view into the early life of musical icon Michael Jackson creating a spark online generating nearly a billion dollars in revenue, becoming the second highest grossing music biopic in history. Despite the mixed reviews from critics, general attendance viewers seemingly adored the film giving it a 96% viewer audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That being said, with the success of the project, film makers will certainly be seeking the next potential box office draw in the world of music. Here are our potential candidates.

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Stevie Wonder

When you think of an artist who truly overcame the odds in their career, it’s nearly impossible not to mention Stevie Wonder. In an incident as a premature baby where his incubator was provided with too much oxygen causing him to go blind, Stevie was challenged from the start with obstacles in order to become the soul and funk icon we know today. A look into how he overcame his disability to become the man who ultimately changed the face of popular music with all-time classics such as “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Love’s In Need of Love Today” would be a massive draw for his fans around the world.

Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was widely regarded as one of, if not the greatest psychedelic soul artist of all time, as she defined the culture of the 1960s with her electric stage presence that took the San Francisco music scene to a whole new level with memorable songs such as “Piece of My Heart” and “Bobby McGee”. Similarly to Michael which covers Jackson’s life prior to his rise to fame, Joplin’s biopic would more than likely cover her struggle with the rise to sudden fame and battle with addiction that ended tragically at a young age.

Madonna

The best biopics are often the ones that have the actual focus of the project directing it, as the accuracy and overall storytelling of the film can be depicted best from the originator. With that being said, it’s worth mentioning Madonna on this list as she reportedly plans to produce her own biopic in a similar fashion. The project was originally greenlit in 2020 by none other than Universal Studios but was shelved in 2023. This does not mean the project has been discarded however, as Madonna still intends to write and produce her own biopic. The documentary is expected to be released this time through a different outlet in a television series under Netflix, similar to Kanye West’s biopic trilogy Junya.

Fleetwood Mac / Stevie Nicks

Fleetwood Mac are a group who have experienced plenty of ups and downs over their years together. While they are yet to have their own biopic developed, they do have an official Apple Documentary with never before seen behind the scene footage and interviews with the actual band members. Despite this, an actual film is yet to be released regarding to tell their story in a cinematic fashion. 

There is even the possibility for a biopic to be solely focused on just one member of the band, Stevie Nicks, the frontwoman of the band who has survived decades of drama whether it’s in a personal or professional manner. She stepped into the male-dominated 1970 rock scene creating a figure for female artists in rock to look up to, working and recording on incredible projects such as Rumours, all the while being caught up in a secret affair and beating a severe addiction.

Luther Vandross

There’s no better artist to top this list off than Luther Vandross, an R&B icon who’s inspired millions of people and artists in their work, including the likes of Kendrick Lamar who sampled his work and titled the song “Luther” on his most recent album GNX. While he currently does not have a narrative feature, an award winning documentary featuring some of his closest friends and collaborators such as Jaime Foxx, Mariah Carey and Dionne Warwick was produced in 2024 on streaming services. The documentary covered Luther’s early days as a backup singer and commercial jingles while also going in-depth on Luther’s struggles with his weight and his health.

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