“I’ve waited 14 years to get this next band on our show,” said Ellen DeGeneres of musical guest Green Day. The band performed the title song from their album American Idiot on her December 13 episode; it was their first appearance on a daytime talk show.
In 2010, the musical American Idiot—adapted from the concept album—bowed on Broadway. The cast featured John Gallagher, Jr., Michael Esper, Stark Sands, Mary Faber, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Tony Vincent, Christina Sajous, and more as working-class citizens living in a world of frustration. It earned a 2010 Best Musical Tony nomination and won statues for its lighting and scenic designs.
The show ran 422 regular performances and closed April 24, 2011. Fans have been anticipating a film version since the record was released in 2004, but the movie wasn’t confirmed until 2013; scriptwriter Rolin Jones finished his work in 2014. Recently, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong confirmed to NME renewed interest in the film by HBO.
“I think it’s going to be a lot different from the musical,” said Armstrong, who will be reprising his role as St. Jimmy. (He played the role on Broadway briefly in January 2011.) “It’s kind of more surreal, but I think there are going to be parts of it that might offend people, which is good. I think it’s a great time to offend people.
“I think there’s just going to be a lot of imagery that we couldn’t pull off in the musical, in the stage version,” he continued. “It will be shocking in a way that makes you think.”