The biopic of Jimi Hendrix that was in the planning stages at Legendary Pictures has been pulled at the request of Experience Hendrix, the overseers of all things Jimi.
Reports say that the people at Experience Hendrix got cold feet on the deal after considering the ongoing success of the Hendrix catalog and the hit that the Doors' catalog supposedly took after the release of the Olvier Stone film.
Legendary Pictures had already acquired Paul Greengrass to direct the film and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) as the star but executives felt that they just couldn't go forward when the soundtrack would be limited to only covers of other people's songs that Hendrix performed.
Thomas Tull, the head of Legendary Pictures, recently said "Unless Experience Hendrix has a change of heart, the movie has gone up in flames."
Janie Hendrix, Jimi's step-daughter and the controller of Experience Hendrix, contacted Mike Fleming from Deadline New York to say "Legendary proceeded without our permission, direction or involvement. It didn't 'fall apart,' it never was. When we do the Jimi Hendrix feature film bio, we will be involved and in control from the beginning."
Producer Bill Gerber replied to Fleming, "To say we proceeded without permission isn't fair. Thomas Tull couldn't have been more generous and eager to collaborate with the estate. He was ready go finance their version of Jimi's story, he got a script that made The Black List and brought Paul Greengrass to the party. It boggles the mind."
Like guitar virtuosos? Check out the Undercover interview with Zakk Wylde below:
