KJ Apa will star in a biopic directed by Justin Chon as the late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell, who died of a heroin overdose in 1996 at the age of 28.
The 27-year-old actor will play the singer-songwriter in a film that will be executive produced by Sublime members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, Nowell’s widow Troy Dendekker and Nowell’s son (and new Sublime lead singer) Jakob Nowell. Term reported on Thursday.
According to the site, Chon and Bobby Hundreds are writing the script, which is based on a concept by Chris Mundy, for 3000 Pictures.
The Long Beach, California band, which incorporated elements of ska, punk and reggae into its material, rose to fame in the mid-1990s with hits such as What I Got, Santeria and Wrong Way. Their greatest success with the general public came after Bradley’s death in San Francisco on May 25, 1996.
The Auckland, New Zealand, native “had been pursuing the role for almost two years when he became aware of the project,” sources told the newspaper.
KJ Apa, 27, has been linked to playing the late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell in a biopic directed by Justin Chon. Pictured in LA earlier this year
Nowell pictured on stage in New York in April 1996, about a month before he died of a heroin overdose on May 25, 1996
The actor, who played heartthrob Archie Andrews on the CW’s modern Archie Comics adaptation Riverdale from 2017 to 2023, had multiple meetings and auditions for the role. “Producers and executives realized he was perfect for him,” the site reported.
Apa, who starred in One Fast Move on Prime Video last month, was formally offered the role after Nowell’s estate approved the casting selection.
A number of music and film fans speculated on X/Twitter and Reddit about Apa and the film.
“You have to respect KJ Apa’s drive,” one user said. “The fact that he pursued this role for almost two years shows how much it means to him. If that’s the energy he brings to the screen, this biopic is going to be something special!”
Another fan said: ‘KJ Apa really went all out for this role! Two years of dedication and perseverance? That kind of passion is exactly what a biopic like Sublime needs.’
One fan suggested that the role could mark a major turn in Apa’s career, following Riverdale’s cancellation last year.
“Most of his Riverdale co-stars have done pretty well in his absence,” the user said. “This could either get him back on track or take him off track.”
One user suggested that Jakob Nowell should have followed in his late father’s footsteps in the biopic: ‘Probably his son could have played him…’
The Long Beach, California band, which incorporated elements of ska, punk and reggae into its timeless material, was photographed in New York in 1995
The Auckland, New Zealand, resident, pictured in 2019, “had been pursuing this role for almost two years when he became aware of the project”
Nowell’s son and new Sublime frontman Jakob Nowell is one of the film’s executive producers. Pictured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in July
Fans on X/Twitter were divided over the news of Apa’s casting as the late musician
A number of Sublime fans commented on the upcoming film on Reddit
A fan of Sublime’s Reddit page Apa asked, “Can he sing? Can he play guitar? Can he make us believe he’s Bradley Nowell for 90+ minutes? I really wonder. I have no idea who this guy is, but my girlfriend said he plays Archie on Riverdale.”
A fan on the thread wondered what the film’s story would look like, given the band’s unconventional path to fame after Nowell’s death.
“Honest question, what exactly is this movie about?” the user asked. “Aside from drugs and fame, Bradley seemed to have a pretty normal life. I just can’t imagine them making a movie about an up and coming party band.
“Are they just going to show them partying all the way to the top? Maybe there are more “side stories” to the Sublime story, but I feel like I’ve read and watched everything and I can’t see how a movie is going to get made.”
Another user predicted in their comment that the film will be “the same as any music biopic,” with elements such as “the humble origins, the rise, the drugs, the fall, [and] the deliverance.
‘It might still be fun to watch, like Bohemian Rhapsody, but there’s little new to discover. I would find it interesting to watch, because in my opinion [there] “There is very little official documentation about the band.”