The Sublime Biopic is Moving Forward
The band’s founding members, Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, are working on the movie with Bradley Nowell’s son, Jakob, and his widow, Troy.
KJ Apa, known for his role in Riverdale, is set to play Bradley Nowell in the upcoming Sublime biopic. Deadline shared the news first, and KJ Apa later confirmed it on his Instagram Stories, mentioning the film’s director, Justin Chon.
This decision comes two years after the biopic was announced. Francis Lawrence, who directed I Am Legend and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is the executive producer. The script is being written by Ozark’s Justin Chon and Bobby Hundreds, based on an initial draft by Chris Mundy. Original band members and Bradley’s family are also producers.
“Wow – we can’t believe this is finally happening and we couldn’t be more honored and excited to have the great Francis Lawrence and Chris Mundy telling our story,” Sublime said when the film was first announced. “We know Bradley’s talent and spirit will be part of this incredible journey.”
Nowell sadly passed away from an overdose in 1996 while on tour, which led to the band’s breakup. This year, the band made a comeback with Jakob Nowell taking over vocals at Coachella, marking their first show in almost three decades. They even released a new song in May, the first in 28 years. With this reunion, the side project Sublime with Rome, featuring Rome Ramirez, ended after their last show in 2024.
Fans feel connected to the legacy being carried on.
“I look at it as like a custodial role,” Jakob said about stepping into his dad’s shoes. “I’m not Sublime. My uncles Bud and Eric are Sublime. My dad never got to step on that stage, man. My dad never got to sing those songs in front of an audience that big, at Coachella, of people who adore him and his sound and his message. If you were a father, what would you want? And I know what I would want to have happen in that situation. So I have to do what I have to do.”
