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A Feature Film Based on a Chainsmokers Song? A Feature Film Based on a Chainsmokers Song.

Get ready for the Chainsmokers Cinematic Universe—because as Chainsmokers Drew Taggart and Alex Pall put it, “The age of being only a musician is over.”
Alex Pall Andrew Taggart.
By Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage.

As of today, the history of the world will be divided into two discrete eras: the time before millennial pop act the Chainsmokers announced they were producing a film based on one of their songs, and everything that came afterward.

For the uninitiated: Drew Taggart and __Alex Pall, __collectively known as the Chainsmokers, have been making music under the name since 2012. While they have amassed a respectable following, they are not exactly critically adored. They’ve been called the Nickelback of E.D.M. and generally elicit harsh words from reviewers. Either way, popular singles have included “Closer,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” and “Paris.” And that last one will apparently serve as source material as Taggart and Pall extend their reach into a new sector of the entertainment industry. Because as they put it in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “The age of being only a musician is over.”

Per T.H.R., Taggart and Pall will develop the film under their newly launched production shingle, named Kick the Habit Productions. Author Mickey Rapkin, who wrote Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, the book that became the Pitch Perfect film franchise, is on board for the screenplay. In their joint statement, Taggart and Pall said, “We are beyond thrilled to have launched Kick the Habit Productions as we continue to bridge the gap between our overall artistic vision, the entertainment industry as a whole, and our fans. . . . We’re excited to go all-in on this venture to curate, produce, and create meaningful projects.”

While music critics who spend their idle hours looking for clues that they might be living in some sort of computer simulation will argue that this supports the theory, there’s likely a simpler explanation. This is yet another sign of how tethered movie studios have become to intellectual property with built-in audiences. A Chainsmokers Cinematic Universe can’t be far behind.