Keith Moon is at long last getting his due in a scripted film centered around the unbelievable larger-than-life story behind the late musician’s life. Variety reports that after years of back and forth movement, the film based around The Who’s drummer hopes to begin filming in Britain over the summer. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, the lead singer and guitar player (respectively) of the iconic rock n’ roll band will serve as executive producers.
Given the tentative title of The Real Me, which takes its name from the title of a song on the band’s album, “Quadrophenia,” the feature will be headed by director Paul Whittington (The Crown, White House Farm) and scripted by Oscar-nominated screenwriter, Jeff Pope (Philomena.)
Known well in the music world for their hit music-based documentaries including Martin Scorsese’s, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, in addition to Ron Howard’s documentary, Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years, which took fans on a journey from the Beatles’ first stage days at the Cavern Club to their last concert in San Francisco, White Horse Pictures is set to produce the new film.
A legend in the drumming and rock community, Moon was the beat behind one of music’s most prolific bands. Known for not only his skills behind the kit, but also for his insane on and off-stage antics, stories about the legendary life of Moon have been told time and time again. A natural-born prankster, Moon was known for putting cherry bombs inside his bass drum to explode at the end of shows. He also played pranks on his fellow bandmates, at one time purchasing The Who a pet piranha to keep in their hotel room bathroom during one of their tours.
Along with his pranks, the percussionist was known by the public to have a strong drug and alcohol addiction. Over the years, Moon would struggle to come out of his drug and alcohol-induced stupors. A short life lost too soon, Moon would eventually pass away from a drug overdose while in his London apartment at 32 years old.
Although production has not yet announced cast members for the upcoming film, proceedings to find actors have been underway for a few months. In the past, Daltrey said finding the actor to play Moon will be “very, very dependent” on the potential star’s eyes. The Who’s frontman went on to comment that his friend and bandmate had “extraordinary eyes.”
It’s believed that Daltrey has been pushing to get the film made since the early 2000s, moving it to numerous production companies until finally landing with White Horse Pictures. White Horse Pictures co-founder, Nigel Sinclair is attached to produce alongside Oliver Veysey, Jeanne Elfant Festa, and Bill Curbishley who joined The Who as their manager many years ago.
Finally, with production making moves, we can begin to look forward to a scripted telling of Moon’s unbelievable and astounding life.