Bob Dylan, Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley were among the subjects of recent biopics - so what's behind Hollywood's obsession?

Sequel fatigue and a wealth of source material may be propelling the surge in biopics.

That's according to Geek Ireland editor Olivia Fahy who told The Hard Shoulder that biopics are "easy content".

"Sometimes if the person is still alive, you can ask them if they want to be a part of it - or if they're not, there's usually a lot of things written about them," she said.

"So it's easy content from that perspective."

2S1DF93 BETTER MAN (2024), directed by MICHAEL GRACEY. Credit: Sina Studios / Facing East Entertainment / Rocket Science / Album

Biopics may remedy sequel fatigue among movie-goers, Ms Fahy said.

"People are getting so bored of all the sequels and the franchises, so this is a bit more different," she said.

"They also make great Oscar-bait."

Biopics of musicians also offer film studios a new form of revenue through their soundtracks.

"When it comes to music biopics, you know that the soundtrack is also going to make money as well," Ms Fahy said.

"Bohemian Rhapsody wasn’t exactly critically praised – Rami Malek went on to win the Oscar but that soundtrack did very well.

"Better Man – it's not doing great in the box office but some of the soundtrack is picking up."

Back to Black (2024) directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Marisa Abela: BFA / Focus Features

The biopic also allows audiences an opportunity to learn more about famous people.

"If it’s a person you are familiar with there’s a certain sense of 'I already know what I’m going to get out of this but there could be some things that surprise me," Ms Fahy said.

"Back to Black - the Amy Winehouse biopic - we all knew the story but it gave us a different take on it by revealing a few things that didn't make the movie."

There are currently three biopics in Irish cinemas - Better Man (Robbie Williams), A Complete Unknown (Bob Dylan) and Maria (Maria Callas).

Feature image: Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown