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The musical biopic Michael, though not a critical darling, has resonated strongly with viewers worldwide.
The film, featuring Jaffar Jackson—Michael Jackson’s nephew—as the iconic pop star, has already amassed over $614 million globally. With Antoine Fuqua at the helm, industry analysts are forecasting that its earnings could climb to $1 billion. Should this prediction come true, it could dethrone 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing musical biopic to date.
The film’s impressive box office run is no shocker, considering Michael Jackson’s enduring appeal and legacy, despite his controversial life. While few musical biopics achieve such blockbuster success, they still offer captivating stories. Here are six overlooked musician biopics you can watch on Netflix right now.
‘Bob Marley: One Love’
For instance, if you missed the 2024 Bob Marley biopic in theaters, it’s now available for streaming on Netflix. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adair as the legendary reggae artist who passed away in 1981, the film, much like Michael, received lukewarm critical reviews but boasts a 90% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
Helen Reddy’s empowering 1971 anthem “I Am Woman” is well-known, but her life story, depicted in a 2019 film, might surprise you. Starring Tilda Cobham-Hervey, the movie follows Reddy’s journey from Australia to New York with her young daughter, determined to pursue a singing career. Her rise to fame is peppered with personal challenges, including a rocky marriage threatening her professional path.
‘I Am Woman’
You’re probably familiar with Helen Reddy’s 1971 feminist anthem “I Am Woman.” But you might not know Reddy’s story, which is chronicled in this 2019 film. Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays Reddy, who moves from Australia to New York with her 3-year-old daughter, intent on becoming a professional singer. She eventually finds success, but struggles with personal problems, including a troubled marriage that threatens to derail her career.
‘Roxanne Roxanne’
Chanté Adams plays pioneering hip-hop artist and “Roxanne’s Revenge” rapper Roxanne Shanté in this 2018 Netflix movie, which also features Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali in a supporting role. In a review, Variety called it “a skillful and ironically gripping coming-of-age movie: a hip-hop anti-biopic.”
‘Maria’
Any movie with Angelina Jolie in the title role isn’t exactly under-the-radar. But even though Maria, a 2024 biopic about opera singer Maria Callas, earned strong reviews from critics, it was snubbed at the Oscars and might have been overlooked by many viewers. However, that doesn’t mean this movie from Spencer and Jackie director Pablo Larrain isn’t worth checking out, particularly for Jolie’s performance as the famous diva.
‘Kneecap’
This unconventional biopic chronicles the rise of Kneecap, an Irish hip-hop trio from Belfast. (The members of the group play themselves in the film.) Kneecap raps in Irish, making their performances an inherently political act in a part of the U.K. where the native language was once banned, leading to its near-eradication.
Kneecap leaves Netflix on June 1.
‘The Dirt’
If you’re in the mood for some old-fashioned ‘80s sleaze, look no further than The Dirt, Netflix’s 2019 movie about hair metal rockers Mötley Crüe. The movie – which is based on Neil Strauss’ 2001 oral history of the band – stars Douglas Booth as Nikki Sixx, Colson Baker as Tommy Lee, Daniel Webber as Vince Neil, and Iwan Rheon as Mick Mars. The movie features plenty of scenes involving the rock-and-roll debauchery the band was infamous for, along with touching on the darker moments in their history, including Neil’s involvement in a fatal drunk driving accident and Sixx’s near-fatal heroin overdose.
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