U2 will soon be portrayed on the small screen as JJ Abrams confirms he is developing a "drama series" with streaming giant Netflix.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is working with award-winning director and producer Abrams and his production company Bad Robot to develop a scripted series about the Irish band. While specific plot details are unknown, and a title is yet to be announced, the band are expected to be involved and sanctioned the project.
Abrams has put his talents behind several blockbuster hits in recent years including Star Trek, Star Wars, Mission Impossible and Lost.
Abrams confirmed to BBC Radio 5 on Thursday he is making a “drama series” about the band. “The story is actually spectacular behind the band, so when you get to know the story it’s so clearly [one] that has powerful resonance and cinematic potential. So, I’m just thrilled about it.”
How will he approach casting Bono? “It’s a great question. We’ll have to see but I think that’ll be part of the fun.”
When asked about what period in U2’s more than four-decade career the show will cover, Abrams said “it’s too early to talk about specifics”.
“We’re early enough in the show that where it ends and where it goes is something we’re discussing but right now there’s a pretty fantastic destination that we have in mind.”
Also reportedly on board with the project is Oscar-nominated writer Anthony McCarten who won acclaim for his biographical work on Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Stephen Hawking film The Theory of Everything and Vatican-drama The Two Popes.
Formed in 1976, U2 are one of the most successful rock bands to come out of Dublin. Band members Bono (Paul David Hewson), the Edge (David Howell Evans), Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s and have toured the world with their music ever since. Classic albums include The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Last week Bono received some mixed reviews online after US congresswoman and House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi marked St Patrick's Day by reading a poem written by the U2 frontman. Suffice to say, although Pelosi and her colleagues seemed to enjoy the poem, its literary style didn't go down well back in Ireland.
