Guns N’ Roses Didn’t Allow ‘Paradise City’ to be Used by New Hulu Series ‘Paradise’ (And That’s Good)
Guns N’ Roses have allowed their music to be used in a variety of film and television projects. However, they allegedly said no to their music being featured in a new Hulu series, and it feels like they made the correct move.
The show in question is Paradise, which stars Emmy Award winner Sterling K. Brown as Special Agent Xavier Collins of the Secret Service. The series revolves around the mysterious death of President Cal Bradford, who is played by Emmy Award nominee James Marsden. Per the YouTube description of the show’s trailer, “‘Paradise’ is set in a serene, wealthy community inhabited by some of the world’s most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs and a high stakes investigation unfolds.”
According to a new Variety profile on Brown, the original title for Paradise was Paradise City. However, ” … It was shortened when the studio couldn’t come to terms with Guns N’ Roses on use of the band’s 1988 hit song of the same name, or its title.”
Honestly, after watching the above trailer, it’s shocking that the vibe of “Paradise City” would even fit with the plot of the series. Sure, some of its lyrics could, in theory, apply. Seeing Brown under interrogation in the trailer could evoke, “Strapped in the chair of the city’s gas chamber/Why I’m here, I can’t quite remember.” But the overall tone of the song just doesn’t fit the subject at all.
The first three episodes of Paradise are available now on Hulu.