Roy Orbison’s life story set for ‘romance’ focused biopic

17 February 2025, 13:14

The ‘Only the Lonely’ singer’s biopic is being produced by one of the minds behind 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

Roy Orbison is the latest music legend set to get the big-screen biopic treatment.

The ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ singer’s life story is reportedly going to be adapted into two projects by independent production company Compelling Pictures.

• Roy Orbison facts: Singer's wife, children, songs and why he always wore glasses explained
• Watch the Roy Orbison hologram performing live for the first time

The first, a film provisionally titled You Got It after Roy's song of the same name, will be “a romance more than a traditional biopic” an announcement statement shared last week.

The film will be based on Roy and his second wife Barbara’s relationship, Variety reports.

The pair married in 1969, and Barbara eventually become Roy's manager and looked after his comeback in the 1980s.

Roy’s comeback was of course tragically cut short by his death in 1988, and it’s unclear if the theatrical film will follow his story until the end or if it will focus on earlier years in the pair’s relationship.

You Got It is being produced by Denis O’Sullivan, who worked on Bohemian Rhapsody (2018’s Freddie Mercury biopic), and Jeff Kalligheri, who worked on the 2022 Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Roy Orbison’s sons Alex, Roy Jr. and Wesley will all be executive producing too.

They celebrated the news via a statement saying: “The Orbisons are elated to find the perfect partners in Compelling Pictures for the Roy Orbison biopic.

“Denis and Jeff’s vision for this journey through Roy’s life is incredible,” they added.

Compelling Pictures said in a statement: “Roy Orbison is a singular talent who holds a special place in our hearts, both as a favourite singer for ourselves and our loved ones, and also as a symbol of the incredible strength and resilience of the human spirit.

Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman (from Black & White Night)

“It’s been an honour getting to know Wesley, Roy Jr., and Alex and their families, and we believe this unique love story between Roy and Barbara – rife with humour, tension, and emotion, all accentuated by these incredible songs – will reach the rafters like one of Roy’s impossible notes.”

The second project announced will be a long-form documentary, likely focused more widely on Roy's history.

A life-story featuring much stellar music making, but also profound personal tragedies such as the deaths of Roy’s eldest sons Roy and Anthony in a house fire in 1968, there will be much to cover in both projects.