Pete Davidson, the American actor and comedian, will play punk icon Joey Ramone in the biopic I Slept With Joey Ramone, Netflix announced on Thursday.
Pete Davidson will produce and star in I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE, a new biopic chronicling the life of the king of punk — whom we lost 20 years ago today.
The film, directed by Jason Orley from a treatment by Davidson and Orley, is based on Mickey Leigh’s memoir of the same name. pic.twitter.com/4r49gZfsmo
— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) April 15, 2021
Ramone was an American musician, singer, composer, and lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Ramones. His voice and tenure as the lead artist of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.
The Netflix announcement marks the 20th death anniversary of Ramone who died at the age of 49 following a seven-year battle with lymphoma.
According to Netflix’s statement, the streaming giant has partnered with STX Films to produce the film, which is based on a memoir, with the same title, written by Ramone’s brother Mickey Leigh. The biopic will be directed by Jason Orley. Davidson will be the film’s executive producer along with Leigh, David Spiegelman, and Rory Rosegarten.
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Davidson and Orley have previously collaborated for Big Time Adolescence, which Orley wrote and directed. Orley also directed Davidson’s standup special Alive from New York for Netflix.
Adam Fogelson, chairman of SXT Films, said that the film was a “universal story of family”. He said that the memoir’s author Leigh not only collaborated with his big brother’s band but has irreplaceable memories of and insights into Ramone.
I Slept With Joey Ramone continues Netflix’s relationship with STX Films, which produced the Netflix series Rise of Empire: Ottoman, which is produced in collaboration with Karga 7. The companies have previously partnered on films such as Work It, starring Sabrina Carpenter.