Musical biopics have seen an unexpected resurgence in the past few years, with the likes of bohemian rhapsody, Facebookand Bob Marley: No Love All of them have proven to be unexpected box office hits. And the genre shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, with the likes of Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and all four members of The Beatles set to get the cinematic treatment soon. However, this year and next, we will likely see one of the genre’s most unexpected entries – rapper and producer extraordinaire Pharrell Williams He doesn't get one but two Biographical films in several years.
On paper, this seems like a stretch.While Farrell has undoubtedly been influential throughout the 21st century, is his reputation really important enough to warrant two back-to-back biopics? However, a closer look at both projects shows that they may not actually be the same, and more importantly, that they are both They both seem crazy enough to separate themselves from an inescapably conventional genre like the musical biopic..
What is the difference between Farrell's two films?
It should be noted first that neither film appears to be autobiographical in the traditional sense. First, Piece by piece“The Last Day” is set to be released in October, and while it’s technically a career film, it has an unexpected twist. Specifically, Pharrell tells the story of his life and rise in the music industry, told using Lego bricks and figurines.
For an artist as innovative and unconventional as Pharrell, it’s arguably fitting that his legend is filtered through a brand built around the idea of creativity itself. Morgan Neville, who has directed critically acclaimed documentaries such as the Oscar-winning 20 feet from stardom and Will you be my neighbor? His first animated appearance is here, while interview subjects like Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, and Kendrick Lamar will also be represented in LEGO form. Piece by piece Opens nationwide on October 11th..
The second film seems a bit more conventional, but considering it's directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Pure Mind, Be the king), probably only a little. This movie, AtlantisThis film appears to be a semi-autobiographical musical about Farrell's childhood growing up in a Virginia apartment complex. Since the cast and crew have all admitted to fictionalizing the story when necessary, this likely isn't just another musical biopic. Given the talent on display, songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (No La Land, The greatest showman), and a cast that includes Halle Bailey, Brian Tyree Henry, Calvin Harrison Jr., and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, the movie certainly looks promising. Atlantis Opens May 9, 2025.
Is Farrell's legacy big enough to warrant two films about his life?
And above all, Pharrell is set to write new songs for each film.While he served as a producer on both. As such, one can't help but wonder if his venture to produce two separate films about his life within two years is mostly a form of self-promotion. Not being a household name to the extent that Freddie Mercury or Bob Dylan were, he doesn't seem likely to generate the huge box office returns that the musical biopic genre has achieved in recent years.
Yet even if his work as a solo artist never quite caught on outside of Illumination Entertainment, his legacy as a producer can’t be overstated. In the early 2000s alone, he had a hand in collaborations on hits like “Hollaback Girl,” “Señorita,” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” The role he played in shaping the influence of R&B on popular music at the time deserves more than a deeper look than this film can provide. While having two separate films in such close proximity may seem like a stretch, they feel different and unique enough from everything else in the genre that they seem worthwhile. Piece by piece Opening October 11th.
