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Following a bidding competition, Deadline brings word that Netflix has entered the final negotiations to acquire the upcoming biographical drama film titled Shout It Out Loud, centering around legendary rock band KISS. The outlet notes that the KISS biopic is currently being fast-tracked to coincide with the band’s final tour, “End of the Road,” which has been delayed by the pandemic but is expected to resume this fall.
Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) have signed on to helm the project with bandleaders and founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley cooperating closely in the production of the film.
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Shout It Out Loud (title based on their hit song from 1976’s Destroyer album) is expected to focus on the band’s early beginnings in Queens back when Simmons and Stanley were just two misfit kids who had formed an unlikely friendship. After eventually enlisting guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, they’ve finally started their own band named KISS. In order to set themselves apart from the “hair” bands of the 1970s, they took on a unique style consisting of gothic makeup and spiked black clothing. On top of their signature look, their wild concerts full of pyrotechnics and other stage gimmicks had also helped launch the band into becoming full-fledged rock icons.
After 48 years, over 100 million records sold worldwide, many sold-out concerts, and countless hit songs later, KISS is still considered as one of the best and top-selling touring bands to date. By 2014, they were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Shout It Out Loud will be directed and produced by Joachim Rønning from a screenplay written by Ole Sanders from an earlier draft by William Blake Herron. KISS’ longtime manager will also be producing through his McGee Entertainment along with Simmons and Stanley.
The KISS biopic will be a co-production of Atmosphere Entertainment and Universal Music Group with Atmosphere’s Mark Canton, Opus 7’s Leigh Ann Burton, Universal’s Courtney Solomon, David Blackman and Jody Gerson set as producers. Executive producers are Atmosphere’s Dorothy Canton and David Hopwood.