Kurt Cobain News

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter)- "Troy" screenwriter David Benioff has signed on to write a movie about late rocker Kurt Cobain.

Many of the details of the Universal Pictures project are still in the early stages. Benioff will use as a reference the Charles Cross' 2001 book "Heavier Than Heaven," which detailed the rise and fall of the Nirvana frontman.

Also unclear is whether Courtney Love, Cobain's widow, will appear onscreen. Love is on board as executive producer, along with her attorney Howard Weitzman.

Nirvana helped popularize grunge rock in the early '90s, and their song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was often termed the anthem for a generation. Cobain struggled with drug addiction and the pressures of fame, and was found dead in his home in 1994. Although labeled a suicide, his death and its circumstances have taken on mythic status.

Cross' book, while attempting to be a definitive biography, was criticized at the time for not having the involvement of Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl or Cobain's mother.

Several attempts have been made to bring Cobain's story to the big screen, though none have come to fruition. Director Gus Van Sant based his 2005 movie "Last Days" on what may have happened in Cobain's final days.

Benioff also wrote the upcoming Marc Forster drama "The Kite Runner," as well as "25th Hour," which was based on his own novel. His upcoming credits include "Wolverine" and "Brothers."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter