Back to Black comes after two existing documentaries on the late Grammy winner’s life.
A biopic on Amy Winehouse, the influential artist who brought jazz into popular culture, has been green-lighted for production. The film comes after two documentaries about the singer, who tragically died in 2011 at only 27 years old.
Asif Kapaldi’s Amy followed her rise to fame and eventual downfall due to drug and alcohol addiction. The 2015 documentary interviewed Winehouse’s friends and family, including her father, Mitch, who rejected advice for his daughter to enter rehab (which inspired the lyrics to Rehab, her most famous track).
Instead of getting treatment for abusing alcohol, cocaine, and crack cocaine, Mitch had Winehouse push through with a US tour. To declare his side of the story, Reclaiming Amy was released last year, marking the 10th anniversary of her death. In a review, journalist Rhian Daly described the pieces as a “touching, if defensive, tribute from Winehouse’s family.”
Although Winehouse’s known for her unique genre, which merges jazz and rhythm and blues using her deep, expressive vocals, she’s also recognized for her destructive behavior.
Passion project
The upcoming biopic Back to Black (named after the London native’s Grammy-winning album) will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, a close friend of the late artist. Johnson also directed the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Although the director describes Back to Black as “a passion project,” fans are raising eyebrows about how accurate it will be. Mitch will be involved in the film, as he holds the singer’s estate—giving Back to Black permission to use her songs and other works.
Hopefully, the film will correctly depict Winehouse’s career, but we can’t be too sure if her father has a say. Name names such as Lady Gaga have been rumored on who will grab the role of Winehouse. “I wouldn’t mind betting it would be an unknown, young, English—London, cockney—actress who looks a bit like Amy,” Mitch told The Sun in 2018.
“What we want is somebody to portray Amy in the way that she was… the funny, brilliant, charming and horrible person that she was.” However, there are no confirmations yet on the cast and other details.
Banner photo from @amywinehouse on Instagram.
