Morrissey Biopic In The Works

The Smiths

A biopic of singer-songwriter Morrissey, frontman of The Smiths, is under way it has been announced.

Manchester-based film company, Honlodge Productions, who were recently behind the Oscar-nominated short film The Voorman Problem staring Martin Freeman and Tom Hollander, are currently developing a biopic of the young singer’s early life in Manchester before he met future song-writing partner Johnny Marr and formed The Smiths, one of the most famous British bands of the 1980s.

Currently under the working title of the singer’s first name, Steven, the biopic is being developed with the backing of Screen Yorkshire and Creative England.

Director Mark Gill has said of the biopic; “The film covers Morrissey’s life pre-Smiths and is more of a portrait than a conventional biopic. It’s as much a film for non-Morrissey fans as it is for die-hard devotees, but I can’t deny that this is a love letter to Steven Patrick Morrissey and the dark satanic mills of Manchester.”

Joining Gill are Orian Williams as producer and Shaheen Baig and casting director, both of whom previously worked on Control, a biopic of Ian Curtis, frontman of Joy Division.

It is unknown at this stage whether the 54-year old has given his backing to the project or not, although Morrissey did release his autobiography in 2013, which describe his childhood in Manchester in the 1960s and his time spent as a music reviewer, before meeting Johnny Marr in 1982 and forming The Smiths.

The script is currently being developed by director Mark Gill and author William Thacker, with production set to begin at the end of 2014.

Who would you cast to play Morrissey in a biopic of his younger years? Let us know in the comments below!