Biopics have become an increasingly common sight in cinemas over the years. From notorious politicians, to iconic musicians, the market has become saturated with films that delve into the lives of famous individuals. However, biopics don’t necessarily need to just be about people. A new film centering on the life of Michael Jackson’s chimp, Bubbles, has received the green light, and it’s about as bananas as it sounds.
A new report from Deadline indicates that Dan Harmon and his production company Starburns Industries have acquired the rights to Bubbles, a film about the life of Michael Jackson’s pet chimp of the same name. The film will delve into the life of the famous primate and his relationship with Michael Jackson in a stop-motion animated feature similar to the company’s previous effort Anomalisa. One thing that makes the film so interesting is the fact that the movie will actually be told from Bubbles’ point of view, with him narrating the action around him.
Fans of the King of Pop will likely remember Bubbles quite well. Adopted by Michael Jackson from a Texas shelter in 1983, the chimp remained Jackson’s companion for the better part of two decades until Bubbles’ aggression became unsafe, and they had him removed from the Neverland ranch.
Of course, Bubbles ultimately is less a biopic about the titular monkey, and more of a means to examine the chimp’s controversial owner. Through the relationship between Bubbles and Michael Jackson, the film will endeavor to explore the nature of the King of Pop in a rather unorthodox manner. We’ve reported on Bubbles before; at the time it seemed unlikely that it would every get made due to the fact that the estate of Michael Jackson has aggressively lobbied to keep major motion pictures about him from going into production.
Although Bubbles will take the form of an animated feature about a monkey, that doesn’t mean that it will necessarily be a film for children. Drawing comparisons to Starburns’ recent film Anomalisa seems to indicate that the film will take a very mature, R-rated approach to its storytelling that doesn’t shy away from the controversy it aims to examine. Hollywood seems to be getting more and more brazen with its willingness to broach the subject of Michael Jackson. In addition to Bubbles, another equally bizarre 9/11 road trip film about the pop star will soon enter production with actor Joseph Fiennes controversially portraying the singer.
What do you think about Bubbles? Does it sound like an intriguing way to examine the life and controversy of Michael Jackson, or is it simply too weird of a premise to work? We will bring you any and all relevant details related to Bubbles as they become available to us. Stay tuned for more details!
