By MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER
Rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com

Ever since 2004, when the Ray Charles biopic, “Ray,” was a hit both at the box office and accompanying soundtrack on the music charts and it won a slew of awards, film companies have been scrambling to line up the next big one.

It’s the same old story, look at 3D or films based on comic books; once there’s success with it, the formula is repeated ad nauseam. “Walk the Line,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and based on the early life of Johnny Cash was next, but then it got pretty quiet on the silver screen. A lot of it has to do with clearing publishing rights, getting the cooperation of the artist’s estate then the normal find a director and a lead pain in the neck.

This week, London’s Daily Express reported that “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson was “obsessed” with taking on the role of folk singer Jeff Buckley, who tragically died at the age of 27 while recording the follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut, “Grace.” His main rivals are rumored to be James Franco, James Marsden and the probably too-old Johnny Depp.

Like so many other music biopics, Buckley’s is currently “in development,” with rumors that it could begin filming next summer.

Here are some others that are also said to be in the works:

Kurt Cobain

Interestingly enough, Pattinson has been the latest name bandied about to star as the grunge icon, and reportedly has been in serious talks with Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, who is always up for making a quick buck on her dead husband’s name. She’s been trying to get this film, based on the Charles Cross biography “Heavier Than Heaven,” made for years. Ewan McGregor was attached for a good while according to Love, but then she changed her tune and said it was Ryan Gosling.

“Good Will Hunting” director Gus Van Sant took his own shot at the Cobain myth in 2005 with “Last Days.” The film’s lead isn’t named after the Nirvana frontman, but bears a resemblance physically and as a lost soul who has everyone in his orbit worrying as he’s gone missing, only to turn up dead in a greenhouse where he had committed suicide.

Janis Joplin

Axl Rose thinks this thing is taking too long to get done.

For an idea of just how long this project has been in the works, Melissa Etheridge was once a shoo-in for the part. Now it’s getting complicated, with two films in the works. That was a mess when Hollywood did it with the story of Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine, and the same thing will likely happen here too.

Amy Adams, recently in “The Fighter,” is said to be taking on the role in “The Gospel According to Janis.” Another one, titled “Piece of My Heart,” had Renee Zellweger attached, but seems to be in a state of limbo. Lili Taylor, Pink, Britney Spears, Zooey Deschanel and the late Brittany Murphy have all been reported as taking the role at one point or another. And like Cobain, Joplin has already had one film loosely based on her life, “The Rose,” which came out in 1979 and starred Bette Midler.

Jimi Hendrix

Eddie Murphy, Will Smith and Outkast’s Andre 3000 have all expressed interest at playing the influential guitarist. Recently, Legendary Pictures was all set to proceed with the biopic, complete with Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Supremacy”) directing and Anthony Mackie (“The Hurt Locker”) starring. But this past December, it was killed by Experience Hendrix, which controls Jimi’s estate and refused to clear any music.

“Legendary proceeded without our permission, direction or involvement,” a statement read. “It didn’t ‘fall apart,’ it never was. When we do the Jimi Hendrix feature-film bio, we will be involved and in control from the beginning.”

Motley Crue

Arguably the most lewd, crude, alcohol and drug-fueled account of any rock group ever is “The Dirt,” published in 2001 and based on the Sunset Strip’s most notorious gang of wild boys. Studios immediately began salivating, and the movie looked to be on the fast track to theaters. A decade later, it’s like the greatest party that never took place.

Big-name actors like Christopher Walken and Ashton Kutcher have been attached, but nothing has come to pass. Reports had it being released in 2009 and the most recent have it scheduled for this year — but it’s not even in production yet, so that’s not going to happen. Bass player and Crue co-founder Nikki Sixx has been quoted as saying, “I’m in no rush to make the wrong movie.”

Miles Davis

Jazz fans got a shot of excitement this winter when “Hotel Rwanda” actor Don Cheadle told The Hollywood Reporter that he has finished a script about the innovative trumpeter and is trying to find backing to put the flick, which he’ll also star in, together.

Freddie Mercury

This one looks the closest out of all the films to actually getting done. Sacha Baron Cohen of “Bruno” and “Borat” fame is set to star, a first draft of the script has approved, most enthusiastically by Mercury’s bandmates in Queen. Guitarist Brian May had nothing but positive things to say in a statement posted on his website earlier this month.

“Work is fully under way,” he said. “(Screenwriter) Peter Morgan has delivered a first draft of the movie, which everyone is very excited about, and Sacha is chomping at the bit to get into the role in a way which would delight Freddie.”

Be sure to tune into Rock Music Menu next week for the top rock and roll biopics of all time … and some downright clunkers.

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To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an e-mail to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com. Also, check out his blog on the Daily Times website.

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