Fan CastingCrash & Burn

Imagine the late 1970s Los Angeles punk scene: smoky clubs filled with raucous fans, graffiti-covered walls vibrating with the energy of kids desperate for a place to belong. This world had no real icons yet, just restless youth breaking the mold, and in its core was Darby Crash — a charismatic, troubled, larger-than-life figure whose own self-doubt and existential musings were masked by his fierce performances. Crash & Burn would be both a raw character study and an immersive journey into punk’s early days, depicting Darby as both hero and antihero. We explore how Jan Paul Beahm — a misfit teen who studied Nietzsche and created his philosophy for life — evolved into Darby Crash, a magnetic figure whose every action seemed like a bold artistic statement. Through the eyes of Darby and those who loved him, we see a vision of punk rock not as a genre but as a way of life, born out of pain, disillusionment, and a deep-seated need to feel heard.