Netlflix Lands Motley Crue Biopic ‘The Dirt’
Netlfix is in final negotiations to acquire the worldwide rights to the long-in-development Motley Crue biopic “The Dirt.”
Jeff Tremaine, who helmed the “Jackass” movies, is directing the film from a script by Rich Wilkes and Tom Kapinos. Julie Yorn, Erik Olsen, and Allen Kovac are producing, while Chris Nilsson, Steve Kline and Rick Yorn are exec producing. Members of the now-retired band are co-producing.
Though Netflix is still in talks for the rights, sources say Liam Hemsworth, Emory Cohen, and Douglas Booth are top choices to play Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Tommy Lee, though no official offers have been made yet.
Based on the 2001 autobiography “The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band,” the book follows the group’s rise during the ’80s “hair band” rock scene on the Sunset Strip, and pulls no punches as it dives into the band’s highs and lows along the way. Motley Crue played its final concert on New Year’s Eve 2015 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.
The band was formed in L.A. and released its first album, “Too Fast for Love,” in 1981. Motley Crue combined hard rock, heavy metal, and glam rock, going on to sell more than 100 million albums worldwide.
This is the closest the film has come to moving toward production after years of jumping from studio to studio. It landed at Paramount Pictures more than a decade ago. Larry Charles was initially attached to direct “The Dirt” for Paramount and MTV Films in 2006. Focus then came on board in 2015 while the band was on its final tour; Tremaine and the current producers were on board at that point.
The acquisition is another big get for Scott Stuber, who was recently tapped to head Netflix’s film initiative.
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