However, Amy long struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Tragically she passed away in 2011 at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning.
Why has it taken so long to get the biopic off the ground?
Initially, the biopic was set to go ahead with Lotus Entertainment in 2015, with Kristen Sheridan set to direct and write the screenplay. However, it never moved forward.
In October 2018, it was announced that Amy’s family had signed a deal with Monumental Pictures for the biopic, with Kinky Boots writer Geoff Deane slated to write the script. That, too, saw difficulty with moving forward, and now four years later, the project has moved to StudioCanal, with Taylor-Johnson hoping to bring the project to the big screen finally.
Where do we know director Sam Taylor-Johnson from?
The biopic is in good hands with British director Sam. Following her feature film debut in Fifty Shades of Grey, she also directed A Million Little Pieces and two episodes of Amazon’s Solos.
Who will play the role of Amy Winehouse in the biopic?
Marisa Abela was only recently announced as the actress to take on the role of Amy. In honour of the announcement, Marisa took to Instagram with a snap of herself posing in front of an Amy mural, with the caption: «And for London. This is for London. Cause Camden Town ain’t burnin down. I love you, Amy. . »
Rising star Marisa has previously starred in BBC Two series Industry and Sky One’s drama COBRA.
The casting for the film was a hot topic fora long time. Back in 2015, when the film was initially with Lotus Entertainment, it was reported that Swedish actress Noomi Rapace had signed on to play the role.
What do Amy’s family think of the new biopic?
The new biopic is said to be going ahead with the «full support» of Winehouse’s estate. This starkly contrasts their reaction to Asif Kapadia’s documentary, Amy. Though critically acclaimed, the film attracted controversy, with Amy’s father, Mitch Winehouse, claiming the portrayal of him and Amy «is both misleading and contains some basic untruths».
When will it be released?
There is no release date yet, and there may not be one for a while. With filming soon to begin, we can expect a 2024 release. Something to look forward to!