Film And TV
21 Mar 22

U2 scripted Netflix series alongside JJ Abrams in 'early development stages'

U2 are “expected to be involved and sanction the project", which will see Star Trek director JJ Abrams involved as executive producer.

The story of legendary rock band U2 is headed to Netflix in a new series that is reportedly in the early stages of development.

Renowned Star Wars and Star Trek director JJ Abrams will be developing the new scripted show under the banner of his production company, Bad Robot Productions. Abrams will be serving as an executive producer while Anthony McCarten will pen the script.

McCarten, a BAFTA-winning screenwriter, is no stranger to telling the stories of musical icons. He wrote the 2018 Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody as well as the upcoming Whitney Houston film, I Wanna Dance With Somebody. The New Zealand talent also wrote the critically acclaimed films The Theory of Everything, The Darkest Hour, and The Two Popes.

Exact details of U2’s involvement in the series have yet to be confirmed but, according to The Hollywood Reporter, U2 are “expected to be involved and sanction the project.”

In November, The Edge revealed that U2 is currently working on a new album to follow up 2017’s Songs of Experience. Today, news broke that the guitarist has contributed tambourine on Confidence Man's upcoming new album TILT.

“We are firmly locked in the tower of song and working away on a bunch of new things,” The Edge recently stated. “I’m just having so much fun writing and not necessarily having to think about where it’s going to go. It's more about enjoying the experience of writing and having no expectations or limitations on the process.”

U2 recently released their first single in two years 'Your Song Saved My Life'. The song is from the soundtrack of the animated film Sing 2, that features the voice of Bono as a troubled lion rockstar.

News of the series comes at a time of resurgent popularity for musical biopics. The series joins the likes of other highly anticipated artist profiles including Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis film starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, and the Madonna biopic that will be directed by the singer herself. Paramount has also recently tapped King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green to direct a film about the life of Bob Marley.

in related news, JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions will also be reuniting with Chris Pine and the rest of his Enterprise crew for a new Star Trek film. WandaVision director Matt Shakman is set to direct the film that will be hitting theatres December of 2023.

Listen to U2s latest single ‘Your Song Saved My Life' below: