You gotta wonder how this hasn’t already happened. A Sinéad O’Connor biopic is officially (finally) in the works!
Variety reports that the project has been developing quietly since the release of 2022’s acclaimed Nothing Compares documentary. The film will chronicle O’Connor’s life and career: from her early years in Dublin to her rise as one of music’s most fearless voices.
Irish production company ie: entertainment (who also made Nothing Compares) is leading the project, alongside Nine Daughters (Lady Macbeth, God’s Creatures) and See-Saw Films (Slow Horses, The Power of the Dog). BBC Film is said to be backing development, with Shirley director Josephine Decker set to helm. Irish writer Stacey Gregg is handling the script. Producers include Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, Neil Chordia, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, with veteran music manager Tim Clark on board as executive producer.
According to Variety, the film looks to capture not just O’Connor’s artistry, but her activism.
Of course, one of her most infamous moments came in ’92, when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, a protest that made global headlines.
O’Connor passed away in July 2023 at age 56, from asthma and COPD. She was laid to rest in Bray, Ireland, where Bono and Bob Geldof were among those paying tribute. Her legacy has only grown since, with streams of her music spiking by nearly eight million in the U.S. the week after her death.
Her biggest hit, a cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U, remains one of the defining singles of the ’90s. She also won a Grammy for her 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got and became the first woman to win MTV’s Video of the Year award.
Further details on the biopic are expected soon.
Which artist/band would you like to see release a biopic?
