First coined in the 1940s, a biopic is a movie that dramatizes the life of one central historical figure. The majority of biographical films focus on the life of an entertainer, politician or otherwise remarkable personality. While biopics have been a part of the movie landscape for a long time, it wasn’t until recent years that they’ve started to dominated the film industry. In 2018 alone, Hollywood produced more than 20 biographical films. So, the next time you see a commercial, trailer or social media post about an upcoming movie, don’t be surprised if you find out that it’s a biography.