Billy Joel Biopic PIANO MAN Given the Green Light With Adam Ripp Set to Write and Direct
A biopic titled Piano Man about the life of musician Billy Joel is in the works at Michael Jai White’s Jaigantic Studios, with Adam Ripp attached to write and direct.
The biopic will follow Joel’s early years, from being discovered by his first manager Irwin Mazur at age 16, to playing in a Long Island cover band in the 1960s, to his breakout performance in 1972 that captured the attention of Clive Davis.
The tricky part of the project is that Billy Joel’s rep says that Joel is not involved with this film project, and that no rights in music, name/likeness, or life story will be granted. As kind of a loophole, Jaigantic has acquired the life rights to Mazur, who managed Joel from 1965 to 1972, the year before his commercial breakthrough. Joel’s hit album and song “Piano Man” were released in 1973.
Music needs for the film are “yet to be determined,” according to the producers.
I honestly don’t know how they will be able to pull this off without the music rights and cooperation of Joel. I wonder if there’s anything they can do to get him on board. He has a beautiful catalog of music, and it would be cool to see his whole story set to the music that made him who we know.
via: Variety