Hank Williams biopic on the way
Story by Jack Foley
THE life of country music icon Hank Williams is to be turned into a new biopic, it has been revealed.
The as-yet untitled project will follow Williams’ story from growing up poor in Alabama during the Depression to his successful music career that saw him record 11 No. 1 hits, including Your Cheatin’ Heart and I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.
It will also chronicle the singer’s battle with spina bifida, which saw him turn to alcohol and morphine for pain relief. He died at the age of 29 in 1953.
Variety reports that Nashville-based 821 Entertainment Group has teamed up with Strike Entertainment to develop the project with a view to allowing Universal Pictures to distribute.
It also has the blessing of the Hank Williams estate, which enables the use of most of his songs, and will also draw from Colin Escott’s book, Hank Williams: The Biography.
Marc Abraham, who recently directed Greg Kinnear in Flash of Genius, will write the script. He told Variety: “Hank Williams was the first real star who went down as the result of his lifestyle, succeeded by Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. He destroyed himself, but for six years leading to his death, Hank had six songs each year in the top 10.”
Next story: Wolverine sequel bound for Japan