If the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen can lead to an Oscar (or four) for Bohemian Rhapsody, why wouldn't you make a film about Frankie Goes To Hollywood crafting iconic song 'Relax'? Per Deadline, Working Title is planning just that, with It's A Sin's Callum Scott Howells aboard to play frontman Holly Johnson in Relax.
Bernard Rose, who has a deep connection to the band and that song as he directed the 'Relax' music video, has adapted Johnson's memoir A Bone In My Flute and will make the film, which will chronicle the genesis and impact of the song. Alongside Howells, the producers will look to cast fellow Frankie members Paul Rutherford, Mark O'Toole, Brian Nash and Peter Gill.
The group, also well known for number one hits 'Two Tribes' and 'The Power Of Love' were among the biggest pop acts of the ’80s.
Yet they disbanded acrimoniously in 1987 — with reports of a fight before a gig at Wembley Stadium — and didn’t perform together again until Monday night when they played one song at a concert in Liverpool ahead of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Their controversial hit song 'Relax' was banned by the BBC in 1984 while at number six in the charts. It subsequently went on to top the UK Singles Chart for five weeks and become the sixth best-selling UK single of all time.
"Working Title is always looking to champion British stories and so the opportunity to shine a light on Frankie Goes To Hollywood, a British band who truly revolutionised the UK music industry, was a natural fit for us," says Working Title's Tim Bevan. "Working under the direction of Bernard Rose, the project will star exciting young talent, Callum Scott Howells in the lead, and Independent Entertainment as partner. We can’t wait to get started."
"Combining the wit of the Beatles, the power of The Rolling Stones and the outrage of The Sex Pistols, Frankie Goes To Hollywood went from unemployed Liverpudlians to Kings of pop on the back of their epic banned record 'Relax,'" says Rose. "In 1984 they outsold Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Duran Duran. Their epic rise, bringing the then deeply underground S+M and LGBTQ club scene screaming into the limelight, is the energetic and moving story of underdogs that win one for the ages. I was very much a part of the hoopla, having directed the original ‘banned’ Relax video and I want to bring that innocent and daring world of 1984 back to life for a new audience today."