Robert Galinsky to write Michael Hutchence biopic
The story of INXS front man Michael Hutchence is set to be turned into a film, Two Worlds Colliding.
Just a Man – The Real Michael Hutchence, a book by the singer’s sister Tina Hutchence and his mother Patricia Glassop, is a look into the singer’s career as well as private life until his death in a Sydney hotel room in 1997.
The book has been acquired by Trevor Ray Field who, along with Suzy Marovski with Robert Galinsky, executive producing. Galinsky will also write the screenplay.
Galinsky told Encore: “I chased the idea 12 years ago but there was so much litigation and family issues, it looked too harsh. But recently I was made aware of Trevor Ray Field who was good friends of Tina Hutchence and he brought me the book. Over the course of the last month we negotiated the rights with Tina and we hit the mark. I like music biopics to be about the person, not just sex, drugs and rock n roll. It’s going to be a heartfelt, interesting project about a complex life, like Ray or Walk the Line.”
The project is currently in script stage and is expected to begin casting and securing a director in early 2013.
The announcement of the picture comes 15 years to the day that Hutchence died.
Two Worlds Colliding isn’t the only Hutchence biopic in the works.
Richard Lowenstein, who directed Hutchence in Dogs in Space as well as INXS’s videos for Need You Tonight and Never Tear Us Apart is set to write and direct the film Michael. The film has received funding from Screen Australia. Lowenstein is producing with Sue Murray and Domenico Procacci.
Galinsky told Encore: “I’m aware of Richard’s project – there are a few around. This will be from the source material with a family perspective however. Richard is a good director, but I think this will appeal to a mainstream audience.”
Galinsky did however say there was room for two films on the one subject matter. “As long as they are strategically placed there is room,” he added.
Galinsky is also writer and producer of Dust and Glory, which documents the 1950s Redex off-road trials race in the Australian outback, to be directed by Simon West, director of Expendables 2.
This sounds like a bad idea;
Firstly, one Hutchence film is more than enough.
Secondly, from a more practical perspective, if Richard Lowenstein is already pushing forward with a film that has received development funding from Screen Australia…what is the likelihood that Screen Australia are going to provide funding for a second Hutchence film?
I’d say pretty much zero…which means getting the second film up is going to be extremely difficult..
User ID not verified.
Hi Dean:
I believe Richard’s film will be a much different angle than ours, which is a pure life biography from go to whoa, adapted from the book in more of a “RAY” or “WALK THE LINE” mode. And we have private investment here and abroad— not government funded.
User ID not verified.
Who’s playing Michael?
That’s what counts. Credibility of character.
User ID not verified.
In discussions with a couple A listers and some lesser knowns and some in-betweens…
User ID not verified.
If Anton Corbijn gets two biopics, Michael Hutchence can too. Good luck to you both, there is certainly scope for a more commercially appealing take on his story and one for the art-house hardcores.
User ID not verified.
I’m a firm believe that to have a film succeed does not require another one to fail—rather the opposite. There is an inherent ‘lowball mentality’ amongst some (read: many) film makers in Oz that there’s ‘only room for one (blank)’.
The more product out there the better, the more choice, the good stuff rises to the top and everyone gets work and the consumer is discerning.
User ID not verified.