The answer? YES! There is a KISS biopic in the works for the streaming platform.
What We Know About The KISS Biopic
So far, Netflix has been pretty quiet about the KISS biopic that they recently acquired rights to. Although, there have been a few hints and details that have been floating around. The following are a few of them that we, Music Daily, are excited about.
Namely, the upcoming movie is set to be titled Shout It Out. “Shout It Out Loud” is one of the band’s greatest glam rock songs from the mid-to-late 1970s. It is off their critically acclaimed, chart-topping album Destroyer. Pulling on that knowledge means that the movie will probably cover a lot of ground over the many decades of the band’s career.
KISS On Friendship, Musicianship, & More
As well, it is known that the relationship between Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will be a large basis of the movie. Growing up in New York, the way these two came together as outcasts – which quickly played a role in their approach to the music industry. They were two teens from Queens who took the world by storm in black-and-white costumes, but the world was never the same after the fact.
Telling their story from the origins of the Big Apple is exhilarating to hear. The additions of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, the other two original KISS members, only elevates the band’s history.
While there is still a long way to go in terms of getting this movie together, the idea of it is thrilling. One of the other parts of the movie that is available to the public is the discography aspect. KISS has a massive catalog of rock songs that span generations, so Netflix acquiring the rights to their songs will be more than worth it.
The KISS members were always creating and working to fit the latest rock and roll molds. Not to mention that their on stage persona was eclectic and electric. Regardless of the song, they were forces to be reckoned with when on the stage. Capturing the essence of their musicality and their discography could take hours on its own. Fans are surely ready to see that come to life in a reflective and introspective sense though, no matter how long the film ends up being.
What We Hope To See
Biopics on musicians and bands are an easy way for production companies and streaming services to make money. Why? Because regardless of the general interest and talent within the movie, fans of that particular act will watch it. Essentially, the film industry expects a biopic to do well because of fandom culture.
Although, KISS is a genuinely interesting band to dive into. Their impact on rock and roll remains evident today. Influencing and inspiring artists, rock stars, and new music is simply a byproduct of the stellar talent that KISS exudes on stage. Their style and creativity, on top of their guitar welding skill set, made them who they are. Sure, they are that rock band that wore studded platform boots and face makeup. They are also members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are one of the most covered bands of all time.
Because of this, fans like ourselves have some pretty high expectations. Since fans know that the film will focus on the relationship between Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, fans want to see them in the movie. Hopefully, they will have their wish granted of seeing the two glam rock icons on the big screen.
Netflix’s Surprise Musical Chops
Biopics can be a mixed bag when it comes to casting rock icons and musicians who are still alive and well. KISS had a majorly successful tour just two years ago, though, and both Stanley and Simmons are still all over the media.
Although, there have been a couple Netflix biopics that are stellar. The Motley Crüe movie The Dirt, produced by Netflix, starred Machine Gun Kelly as Tommy Lee. This is just one example of exciting and wildly accurate casting (aside from the hair color). Netflix has also released music-based films such as the Taylor Swift documentary, Miss Americana. This is all in addition to the variety of concert movies they have released, such as for Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande.
With Netflix having this strong, musical background, it’s going to be interesting to see if they go the more fictional and narrative route, or the more biographical style of film.
