A biopic about Frankie Goes To Hollywood is in the works with Callum Scott Howells set to play frontman Holly Johnson.
Days after the group reunited for the first time in 36 years to help launch the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, the movie – titled ‘Relax’ and based on his 1994 autobiography ‘A Bone in My Flute’ – was revealed.
Howells, 24, best known for playing Colin in Channel 4’s ‘It’s a Sin’, is “excited and honoured” to take on the lead role in the film, helmed by English director Bernard Rose.
The filmmaker, who created the infamous Relax music video back in 1983 and also created classic visuals like Frankie’s Welcome to the Pleasuredome, plus Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy and UB40’s Red Red Wine.
Rose – also an acclaimed horror director, having previously overseen horror classics ‘Paperhouse’ and ‘Candyman’ – has also written the script.
“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,” he says (via Deadline).
“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…”
