Riverdale star KJ Apa has been tapped to portray the late Bradley Nowell in an upcoming Sublime biopic – find out more below.
The news was confirmed by a Deadline report, with Apa later reposting the article on his Instagram Story. The film has yet to receive a title, but is due to be directed by Justin Chon, who has in the past helmed films like Blue Bayou and several episodes of Pachinko.
The film was first announced in 2022 with with the band’s two surviving members – bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh – involved as executive producers. Deadline’s report confirms that they are still attached to the project, as are Nowell’s widow Troy and their son Jakob, who will both also executive produce.
A release date for Sublime’s biopic has yet to be announced but is reportedly already in production.
Sublime were initially active between 1988 and 1996, releasing two albums – 1992’s ‘40oz. To Freedom’ and 1994’s ‘Robbin’ The Hood’ – before Nowell died from a heroin overdose at the age of 28. The band’s third, self-titled album was released two months after that happened, in July of 1996.
13 years later, in 2009, Sublime reformed with Rome Ramirez on vocals and guitar. They toured under the Sublime moniker for seven months, before Nowell’s estate threatened to sue Wilson and Gaugh for misuse of their trademark.
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The group subsequently rebranded as Sublime With Rome and have thus far released four studio albums: 2011’s ‘Yours Truly’, 2015’s ‘Sirens’, 2019’s ‘Blessings’ and this year’s self-titled record. Gaugh only performed on the first of those, though, as he left the fold in December of 2011.
Sublime With Rome announced in December last year that they will be disbanding at the end of 2024. Sublime reunited under their original moniker earlier this year at Coachella with Jakob Nowell.
In May, Sublime released their first song in 28 years, ‘Feel Like That’. It was led by Jakob on vocals, with an archival hook performed by Bradley that was recorded before his death.