Coming up with an original concept and shopping it to studios is a difficult task that, more often than not, ends in rejection. However, stumbling across a breathtaking real story and proposing an on-screen retelling is something else entirely. Some of history’s most awe-inspiring events turn out to be incredible blockbuster hits that can rake in audiences (and ticket sales) time and time again.
There have been over a dozen movies made about the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe, while Abraham Lincoln himself has been the subject of multiple features. From Disney to Sony, filmmakers are never shy about giving famous figures the Hollywood treatment.
However, movies based on true stories are often more difficult to produce and doubly expensive. There’s a huge amount of pressure on studios to do justice to the story and the people involved, so when it comes to making a great biopic, it’s all about the cold, hard cash.