Hollywood’s obsession with rockstar biopics is getting a fierce feminist makeover—and fans are here for it. Forget the tired tales of male guitar gods: celebrate the trailblazing women who shredded stereotypes, smashed records, and rewrote rock history. From Joan Jett’s leather-clad rebellion to Janis Joplin’s soul-baring scream, studios are racing to greenlight films about the badass women who turned rock ‘n’ roll into a revolution.
The trend exploded this week when Variety leaked that Oscar-winning director Ava DuVernay is secretly developing a biopic on punk legend Patti Smith, with Zendaya rumored to star. This follows the viral success of last year’s Bad Reputation, a documentary-turned-cult-hit about Joan Jett’s rise, which sparked a 300% spike in streams of her music overnight. Insiders say studios are scrambling to option life rights for icons like Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry, and even a long-awaited (and chaotic) dive into Amy Winehouse’s meteoric career.
“Audiences are starving for stories about women who weren’t just ‘muses’ but monsters of their craft,” says music historian Dr. Lila Torres. “These women fought sexism, addiction, and industry exploitation—and still changed music forever. That’s drama you can’t fake.”
Streaming giants are cashing in, too. Netflix’s Runaway—a gritty series about Suzi Quatro’s 1970s takeover of all-male rock stages—has already topped charts in 82 countries. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime just dropped a teaser for Piece of My Heart, a Janis Joplin biopic starring Florence Pugh, complete with jaw-dropping vocals recorded live on set. (Yes, Pugh is singing every note herself—prepare for chills.)
But why now? Industry insiders point to the post-#MeToo demand for female-driven narratives and Gen Z’s obsession with unearthing “lost” history. “Young fans are discovering these artists through TikTok,” says producer Mia Chen. “They want the raw, unfiltered truth—not the sanitized versions their parents grew up with.”
The stakes are high. While 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman set the bar for music biopics, critics argue they glossed over the stars’ flaws. The new wave of female-led films, however, promises unflinching honesty. The upcoming Edge of Seventeen, exploring Stevie Nicks’ solo career post-Fleetwood Mac, reportedly tackles her battles with addiction and industry sexism head-on.
Not every project is smooth sailing, though. A long-planned Whitney Houston film stalled for years over family disputes, while Courtney Love recently trashed a proposed Hole biopic as “male fantasy nonsense.” Still, the momentum is unstoppable. As one studio exec joked, “If you’ve got a leather jacket and a ’70s backup band, call your agent now.”
So crank up the volume, grab your air guitar, and get ready: Hollywood’s female rock revolution is just hitting its first power chord.