The best stories are true stories, and they only get better on the big screen. Though 2020 just started, it’s already packed with promising feature films about real-life heroes, feisty disruptors, and otherwise kooky characters. From the harrowing tale of a brave mime who saved children during WWII to the persecution of protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention to the unexpected turnaround of a flailing soccer team, the historic events Hollywood is bringing to life this year are more captivating than any comic book movie could ever be. Start your New Year’s must-see list with our most anticipated biopics coming out in 2020.
Cover Photo: IFC Films
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Biopics Coming Out 2020
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'Stardust'
Johnny Flynn embodies musical genius David Bowie in this biopic that follows the avant-garde singer-songwriter's first visit to the United States in 1971, which led to the creation of his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. We can only imagine how badass the soundtrack will be.
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Photo: Salon Pictures
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'The Trial of the Chicago 7'
Political conventions aren't known for their cinematic draw, but the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, was an unruly event. Thousands of protesters opposed to the Vietnam War congregated in Grant Park and marched toward the amphitheater where the convention was being held. Police in riot gear were dispatched and violent clashes ensued. This historical drama follows the sensational trial of several men blamed for inciting the riots, played by actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Strong, and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Release Date: Sept. 25, 2020
Photo: Paramount Pictures
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'Resistance'
This inspiring true story stars Jesse Eisenberg as Marcel Marceau, a mime who worked with the French resistance during WWII. By using his silent acting skills and posing as a Boy Scout troop leader, he helped Jewish children sneak across the Swiss border to safety.
Release Date: Nov. 12, 2020
Photo: IFC Films
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'King Richard'
Serena and Venus Williams are groundbreaking tennis icons, but they didn't rise to sports superstardom alone. Their father, Richard Williams, was their first and most fervent supporter. This film, starring Will Smith, focuses on the man behind the phenoms.
Release Date: Nov. 25, 2020
Photo: MIKE NELSON (Getty Images)
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'Fonzo'
Tom Hardy stars as Al Capone in this biopic that depicts the legendary mafia member's struggles with dementia, which started when he was only 47 years old.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: BRON Studios
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'Tesla'
Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison were legendary rivals in the electrical engineering space. This forthcoming biopic directed by Michael Almereyda pits the Serbian-American inventor Tesla (Ethan Hawke) against light bulb creator Edison (Kyle MacLachlan). Sparks will fly.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: Passage Pictures
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'Roosevelt'
Dream team Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are at it again with this biographical drama about Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States and the youngest man ever elected to the highest office in the land. Roosevelt's life was filled with loss, health struggles, and fascinating hobbies (big game hunting, anyone?). It's the kind of multilayered character that DiCaprio excels at playing.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: Kevin Winter (Getty Images)
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'Next Goal Wins'
Hot shot director Taika Waititi turns his lens toward soccer in this adaptation of the 2014 documentary of the same name. Michael Fassbender stars as real-life coach Thomas Rogen who brought the lackluster American Samoa team up to snuff.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic (Getty Images)
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'Bad Blood'
At one point, Elizabeth Holmes was thought to be the next Steve Jobs...until her company Theranos, valued at $10 billion in 2013, turned out to be based on completely bogus blood-testing technology. Jennifer Lawrence will bring the 19-year-old founder-turned-billionaire now facing fraud charges to the big screen.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo (Getty Images)
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'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were known for their charismatic religious broadcasts in the '70s and '80s...until financial schemes and sex scandals brought their holier-than-thou media empire tumbling down. Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain star as the scandalized couple in this biopic directed by Michael Showalter and based on the 2000 documentary of the same name.
Release Date: TBD
Photo: Fred Hayes/WireImage (Getty Images)
