Anthony Kiedis Biopic In Works At Universal; Brian Grazer Producing Based On Red Hot Chili Peppers Frontman’s Memoir ‘Scar Tissue’

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has optioned rights to Anthony Kiedis’ New York Times bestseller Scar Tissue, with the feature film project is currently in early development at the studio. It will be produced by Brian Grazer through Imagine Entertainment, Kiedis, and Guy Oseary.

The candid book profiles Kiedis, the famed frontman of Red Hot Chili Peppers, an artist, addict and ringleader. It features a deeply unconventional father-and-son story set against a substance-fueled 1970s and ’80s L.A. punk scene and examines, without judgment, how Kiedis’ experiences shaped the music eventually embraced by millions.

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Universal in recent years has shown a knack for delivering the goods on the biopic-based-on-musicians front. The N.W.A pic Straight Outta Compton was a massive box office hit that also earned an Oscar nomination for Original Screenplay. Universal’s EVP Production Development Jay Polidoro will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.

Kiedis was born in Grand Rapids, MI, and moved to Los Angeles around age 12, with his early exposure to the vibrant L.A. music scene laying the foundation for his career. In 1983, he co-founded Red Hot Chili Peppers alongside guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea (Michael Balzary) and drummer Jack Irons. The band’s fusion of funk, punk and rock, coupled with Kiedis’ energetic and provocative stage presence, quickly gained them a devoted fan base. The group has had nine Top 10 albums, 15 No. 1 Modern Rock singles, won six Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

His life has been marked by a deep passion for music, a tumultuous journey through addiction and recovery, and a relentless commitment to artistic expression.

Kiedis is represented by CAA, Oseary and Eric Greenspan at Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light LLP.

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