As was the case with Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life, looks like River Road Ent. weren’t planning on letting this biopic go to market and have passed it forward to Apparition. This could mean one of two things: that Bill Pohlad didn’t feel confident about the final product or, the more likely scenario is that with Kristen Stewart on board, that a segment of the Twilight series fanbase might add some B.O dollars to the theatrical release of The Runaways. The pic is already pegged with a March 19th release.
Receiving its showcase at Sundance next month (look for some main street concert gig to take place), the pic formerly titled “Neon Angels” describes how the ’70s teenage band the Runaways (Joan Jett, Cherie Currie and the late Sandy West) were brought together by manager Kim Fowley – the same perhaps who put together the Go-Go’s and the Bangles. The film will use an unpublished memoir written by lead singer Curie will be used as a resource for a drama that intends to bare all the drugs, sex and heartache experienced by girls who struggled to be viewed as musicians, not sex kittens with guitars.
This is Floria Sigismondi’s directorial debut, and for those who don’t know her, she has worked with many cool cats in the music scene (see full music video filmography here) so there’s no doubt that a decade’s work of music video making and fashion mag photography might help her achieve a certain tone and aesthetic that’ll make this worth the watch.
