Biopics have become the new dark horse of Hollywood. Audiences have always been intrigued and excited by movies thathighlight true stories, but the last few years have seen this trend grow exponentially. As the superhero genre fades and fizzles, biopics are quickly leaping in to take their place as the new, go-to genre, with some already feeling they’ve outstayed their welcome.
As we sit firmly into 2024, a whole host of new biopics are appearing over the horizon. The new year has already seenBob Marley: One Loverelease to mixed reviews, along with other, smaller profile biopics hitting streaming services in early 2024. As the genre continues to rise in popularity, one actor,Colman Domingo, is riding its wave of success all the way to the top and is set to dominate the biopics market in 2024.
Colman Domingo Is the New King of Biopics
There are dozens of movies, shows, and franchises you might know Colman Domingo from. He’s had a long-running role as alead character inFear the Walking Dead, recently starred in the 2023 remake ofThe Color Purplealongside a smattering of other great performances, and was a mainstay in HBO’sEuphoria. But 2024 is the year that Colman Domingo dominates the biopic scene.
Ridley Scott May Take the Helm for Paramount’s Bee Gees Biopic
Ridley Scott is reportedly set to bring the Bee Gees' story to the big screen.
Domingo has already had a great start to his biopic-focused career in 2024,earning an Oscar nominationfor Best Actor for his performance as Bayard Rustin in Netflix’s biopic. The film sheds light on the often unrecognized figure’s role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Rustin was a close adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and prominent civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights activist in his own right—and he was the lead organizer of the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
Domingo’s upcoming release sees the acclaimed actorpartner with studio A24as they bring the inspiring story of the theater rehabilitation group at the Sing Sing maximum security prison to life. Aptly titledSing Sing, Domingo portrays John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield, a prominent member of the prison’s theater system. ‘Divine G’ has since become an award-winning writer, having written ‘Enigma of Love’ and ‘Money Grip.‘Sing Singalready debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2023, receiving rave reviews, and currently sits at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is currently screening at SXSW before getting a wider theatrical release in July this year.
The future sees Colman Domingo drastically up the scale and prestige of the figures he’ll be portraying. The most high-profile biopic in Domingo’s future filmography isMichael, based on the life of the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson. With Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portraying the musical icon, Domingo will play Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father. Considering the immense success ofmusical-themed biopicslikeRocketmanandBohemian Rhapsody, it’s hard to believe Jackson hasn’t already received his own biopic, butMichaelwill finally bring his story to the big screen, although the release is a bit further away. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the biopic promises to showcase “the good, the bad, and the ugly” following multiple accusations of sexual abuse aimed at the singer.
Colman Domingo’s foray into musical biopics won’t stop there, though, as the actor moves from a supporting role to the lead in the long-awaited Nat King Cole biopic. Nat King Cole is one of the most influential musicians of all time, whose career spanned from the 1930s to the ’60s before his untimely death at 45. The unnamed documentary will also mark Domingo’s directorial debut in the world of feature films. The actor had previously directed three episodes ofFear the Walking Dead, but the upcoming biopic will see the actor direct, write, and star in the project.
Colman Domingo Has Long Been a Staple of Biopics
While 2024 and beyond will see Colman Domingo step into the biopic limelight like never before, the acclaimed actor has long been part of the genre. Starting with more minor supporting roles, Domingo appeared in the 2012 Oscar-winning biopicLincoln. Domingo played Private Harold Green, a Union soldier reportedly interviewed by President Lincoln. Domingo quickly followed this up with an uncredited role as Lawson Bowman in42, the seminal Jackie Robinson biopic starring Chadwick Boseman.
Pharrell Williams Biopic to Be Told with Legos, Sets Release Date
Multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams will tell his life story through Lego animation.
Rustinisn’t the first time Colman Domingo has been involved in a feature film involving Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 2014, Domingo portrayed Ralph Abernathy, a Baptist and civil rights activist who was a mentor to Dr. King, in Ava DuVernay’sSelma. 2 years later, Domingo played a more significant role in Nate Parker’s retelling of the incredibly controversial 1915 filmThe Birth of a Nation. Parker’s version centered on Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher who led a rebellion of enslaved African-Americans in Southampton County, Virginia. In the film, Domingo undertook the role of Hark, a close friend of Nate Turner, who joined him in the rebellion that took 60 lives.
Colman Domingo’s filmography is stacked with inspiring biopics, with the biggest, and potentially best, still to come. 2024 is a year that is expected to be over-saturated with films depicting the lives of real figures. Amy Winehouse, Francesca Cabrini, and Shirley Chisholm are all expected to have their stories told on-screen in the coming year, but with the aforementioned projects, Colman Domingo is likely to stand as the dominant force in the biopic market in 2024.Sing Singis expected to hit theaters in July 2024.
