Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne biopic still in the works
A biopic depicting the lives of Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne remains in the works at Sony Pictures following the rock icon’s death.
The film, which has been in development since 2021, is set to follow the famous love story of the Black Sabbath frontman and his manager wife, with Osbourne herself as well as two of the couple’s children, Aimee and Jack, reportedly attached to produce.
Despite this, plans had repeatedly stalled over the years, and since Osbourne’s death from a heart attack at the age of 76 on July 22nd, the future of the biopic was truly cast into doubt.
However, a new statement from Polygram Entertainment, one of the co-producers, has revealed that the creative team are “currently in negotiations with a director, which could be confirmed very soon.”
Although potential candidates for director have not yet been revealed publicly, the production company said that Lee Hall, who previously wrote the script for the Elton John biopic Rocketman back in 2019, was still involved with the process and is set to create the screenplay.
For obvious reasons, Osbourne has long been a desired subject for a Hollywood biopic given his eccentric heavy metal persona, clashing with the homely father figure seen portrayed in the family’s hit reality show, The Osbournes.
Attempts to create a movie have dated back as far as 1998. Screenwriter Ryan Jaffe made multiple shots at bringing Osbourne and his wife’s love story to the screen, none of which ever came to fruition.
Regarding the allure of the story, he told Variety: “I thought it was a very unique way to tell a story that was an interesting take on a biopic: not so straightforward. It was really their story together, how they kind of saved each other’s lives in a lot of ways.”
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