The storied career and tragically short life of Amy Winehouse is one that filmmakers have been looking to bring to screens for years. While Asif Kapadia's documentary Amy managed it to Oscar-winning effect, the progress towards a biopic has faltered on its path to screens. StudioCanal is hoping that Sam Taylor-Johnson can make it happen via a movie called Back To Black.
Attempts have been made to get a film made since Winehouse died in 2011 at the age of 27, following years of struggles with drugs and alcohol. But the singer, who got her start on the North London jazz circuit, also rose to become an award-winning music superstar.
Though previous versions have stumbled because of the all-important music rights, the new film has the support of Winehouse's estate. That does raise questions of how deep it'll probe into her life (though Rocketman, for example, didn't shy away from the darker shades of Elton John's life, despite his involvement). Matt Greenhalgh wrote the latest draft of the script.
Noomi Rapace was attached to star as Winehouse a few years ago, so don't count her out completely, but we'd imagine that Taylor-Johnson will look for her own lead.