Hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when Sublime singer and songwriter Bradley Nowell was found dead in a hotel in San Francisco. The band’s legacy has endured over the decades, with Sublime band members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson continuing to tour and make music as Sublime with Rome. But the story of the Long Beach band — who somehow managed to fuse rock, ska, reggae, punk, and hip-hop tropes in a way that was 100% not corny — has never been told on the big screen. This won’t be the case any longer as a new Sublime biopic is officially in the works with blockbuster director Francis Lawrence on board for the film.
Lawrence is an interesting choice, considering he’s made his name on big-budget films like I Am Legend and The Hunger Games series. But he’s also been a noted music video director who has worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Green Day, Janet Jackson, and Alanis Morisette. Meanwhile, Ozark’s executive producer and showrunner Chris Mundy is writing the yet-to-be-named Sublime movie.
“Wow—we can’t believe this is finally happening and we couldn’t be more honored and excited to have the great Francis Lawrence and Chris Mundy telling our story,” Bud Gaugh, Eric Wilson, and The Nowells said in a statement reported by Pitchfork. Adding that, “We know Bradley’s talent and spirit will be part of this incredible journey.”
Sublime’s longtime manager Dave Kaplan added, “We’re thrilled Sublime’s insanely cool and important story will finally be told. They were fearless and pioneering in bringing together so many musical genres, cultures, and lifestyles during their short time as a band, and their music is still influencing musicians and artists to this day.”
No word yet on production schedules, etc., but this will be one to keep tabs on for sure.