Nick Jonas Will Play In A New KISS Biopic As Paul Stanley
Nick Jonas is getting into a new role, literally. The pop-rock star is reportedly in final talks to portray KISS frontman Paul Stanley in Shout It Out Loud. The movie is an upcoming biopic chronicling the early days of the legendary rock group.
Per Deadline, Jonas is close to locking in the deal to see him take on Stanley’s vocals and rhythm guitar duties. He will perform classic KISS tracks himself in the film. Directed by Charlie’s Angels helmer McG, with a script by Darren Lemke, the project is expected to begin production by the year’s end.
While Jonas might seem like a curveball casting choice to some, he’s known more for polished radio pop. Despite that, pyrotechnic rock—the multi-hyphenate performer has long been carving out a space. It has spanned across Broadway, blockbusters, and prestige drama. He has roles in Goat, Midway, and the Jumanji reboot series. Plus, acclaimed turns on stage in Les Misérables and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. So, Nick Jonas brings vocal chops and screen presence to the table.
Nick Jonas and The New Biopic
Shout It Out Loud will dive into KISS’s foundational years, with a narrative focus on the band’s rise in the mid-’70s. Thus, the story zeroes in on the first four years of the band’s existence. It was a pivotal period marked by face paint, fire-breathing, and full-throttle ambition.
“We’re just starting it now,” McGhee said in a 2023 update. “We’ve already sold it, it’s already done, we have a director, McG. That’s moving along, and that’ll come in ’24.”
Of course, the larger-than-life role of bassist Gene Simmons—Stanley’s equally iconic counterpart. However, anticipation is already building over who will fill that fire-spitting void.
Formed in New York City in 1973, KISS exploded onto the scene with a self-titled debut in ’74. After that, it quickly became synonymous with spectacle-driven rock. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, the band capped off their decades-long run with a final live show in December 2023. Thus, the band closed their End of the Road tour. But the KISS brand lives on: a digital avatar experience is already in development for a Las Vegas residency in 2027.
For Jonas, the role marks yet another bold move in an already eclectic career—and one that might silence the skeptics. If he can channel Stanley’s strut, swagger, and falsetto, Shout It Out Loud might end up being more than just a nostalgic headbang down memory lane.
