Why There's Never Been a Nirvana Biopic Explained

Nirvana is one of the most important bands of the turn of the 20th century, not just because of the mythology of its members, but because of its influence on rock, grunge, and music in general afterward, and yet there has never been a true biopic about the band. Musical biopics are the coin of the Hollywood realm and every time one is released, it always seems to be a success, critically and financially. It's no news that filling a film with hits sung by stars is an easy recipe for success.

However, when exactly to release a musical biopic can be a tricky proposition. Bands and singers worthy of a biopic are often still alive and even performing, making the creative process that much more challenging. For a band like Nirvana, who are synonymous with 90s rock and the grunge movement, There will always be numerous obstacles to overcome, from Courtney Love's involvement to David Grohl's busy schedule to all the normal struggles a biopic has with production.. There has never been a true Nirvana biopic, and it's somewhat understandable why.

A viable Nirvana biopic would require approval from Courtney Love and the band

A biopic won't be successful without the band's music

A Nirvana biopic would need the approval of the band's two living members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic (and perhaps Chad Channing if the whole story is told), and Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain's widowed wife and mother of his son, who is also the executor of your assets, for now (via Trust Board). Although a biopic does not need the subject's approval to be made, If a film wants to use music and access parts of the story that only the band would know, the filmmakers need to play ball.

This is particularly difficult for Nirvana, considering the long and complicated relationship between Dave Grohl and Courtney Love (via FarOut Magazine). A Nirvana biopic would need to go to some dark places, considering how important Kurt Cobain's mental health struggles and death are to the band's legacy, and it's unlikely that the band, Love, and his daughter Frances Bean Cobain, agree on the exact way. to portray his death.

Bohemian Rhapsody it was highly mythologized, and that was with Queen all on the same page. For a Nirvana biopic where all parties have different ideas about what the film should be, it could be a difficult and long production with no guarantee of completion.

Brad Pitt unsuccessfully pitched a Nirvana biopic for Courtney Love

Love said she was fired from Fight Club for denying Pitt

Just because there hasn't been a Nirvana biopic doesn't mean the idea hasn't been formulated in Hollywood years ago. Brad Pitt, whose producing credits have only increased since Nirvana was selling out shows, reportedly approached Courtney Love twice about making a biopic and was rejected both times. According to Love, Pitt approached her about making a Nirvana biopic shortly before the production of Fight Club started (through Variety​​​​​​). When Love rejected the idea, Love claimed she was fired from the film and replaced by Helena Bonham Carter.

However, a source close to the film confirmed Variety that although Love auditioned for the role of Marla Singer, she was never offered the role,

“You can't be fired for a job you didn't get. It's common knowledge that roles are not decided by other actors, but by the director.”

Love claimed Pitt approached her again in 2020 but that she felt ignored during the meeting and, therefore, rejected the idea. With Love as the gatekeeper of a Nirvana biopic, even the first step toward approval is a tricky barrier to entry for anyone wanting to tell the Nirvana story.

The Last Days of Gus Van Sant Wasn't a True Nirvana Biopic

Last Days is an experimental look at the rock star lifestyle

While there has never been a Nirvana biopic, Gus Van Sant's Last days comes close to that. The film is a fictional retelling of the last days of the life of a musician, clearly based on Kurt Cobain, although called “Blake” (Michael Pitt) in the film. Although it has never been directly stated that Kurt Cobain is the inspiration for Blake,the parallels are obvious (via LAMag). Although even though it was officially based on Cobain, Last days it wouldn't serve as a good Nirvana biopic, considering it only shows the last days of the singer's life.

In terms of film quality alone on its own merits, Ilast days There's still a little bit left. Van Sant's experimental style is an effective way to get inside the head of a major rock star who's slowly collapsing in on himself, but it can make the story's thrust difficult to grasp. Injections of religious imagery and psychedelic scenes also sometimes border on the kitschy. Some musical biopics like Olive Stone The doors effectively combine reality and experimental cinema, but the mix doesn't work as well in Last days​​​​​.

Documentaries about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain

There have been several documentaries about the band

There have been many Nirvana documentaries over the years that fans can turn to, even if there aren't any biopics to watch. Not every documentary is strictly about Nirvana or Kurt Cobain, but If there's a music documentary about rock, grunge or the late 90s, it's almost a guarantee that the words “Nirvana” or “Kurt Cobain” will be said at least once. There is a long list of Nirvana documentaries, many focusing on Kurt Cobain rather than Nirvana, but there are still many that cover the band as much as the singer.

Some of these documentaries focus on a specific show, some on the last months and days of Cobain's life, many on the relationship between Cobain and Love, and some that attempt to cover the extent of Nirvana's influence on culture and music. It's a difficult task no matter the scope, but Classic Albums: Nirvana-Nevermind offers the best 10,000-foot view in the band and it's an excellent place to start for anyone new to Nirvana and even those whose only relationship with them is through the music.

It's too early for a Nirvana biopic

No one knows Nirvana's true legacy yet

The fact is, it's probably too early to have a Nirvana biopic. If it weren't for Cobain's death, it's possible the band would still be touring. Radiohead, Green Day, Blink-182 and Third Eye Blind were formed around the same time and still attract large audiences to shows. Dave Grohl is still actively making music with the Foo Fighters and appears to be in the middle of his career. Krist Novoselic also continues to make music.

Nobody had time to reflect on Nirvana or Kurt Cobain in a real way. Not an old band that people would be surprised to learn influenced their current favorite rock stars, Nirvana's sound is as modern as anyone else's. For a musical biopic to be effective, there needs to be some sort of understanding of what the band accomplished and what they actually did. It's impossible to know that after just two decades. There should be no rush for a Nirvana biopic, not while those closest to him are still arguing about his legacy.