Piano Man with no Piano Man? Billy Joel getting biopic without singer or his music involved
The Piano Man's story is headed to theaters ... but there's a catch.
Piano Man, a forthcoming biopic about the early years of legendary musician Billy Joel, is in the works at Michael Jai White's Jaigantic Studio, EW can confirm — but the "Piano Man" himself will not be involved with the film project. A rep for Joel stated that no rights in music, name, likeness or life story will be granted.
A representative for the studio, however, says that with regards to the use and rights of his music, their story "focuses on the first stage of Mr. Joel's career; therefore, our music needs are still being determined."
According to Variety, who first reported the news, the film, which is being written and directed by Adam Ripp (Gambit, Devil's Whisper), follows the early stages of Joel's career, from being discovered by Irwin Mazur to his breakthrough 1972 performance that caught the eye of Clive Davis. Jaigantic therefore acquired the life rights to Mazur, who repped Joel from 1970-72 — just before he released the hit titular song and album in 1973. Mazur also managed the band The Hassles, which Joel was briefly apart of as a teenager.
The film has another interesting connection to Joel: Ripp's father Artie Ripp signed him to his first record deal as a solo artist and produced his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor.
"If Billy Joel didn't have Irwin Mazur, Elizabeth Weber, and Artie Ripp, the world would not have the Piano Man. And who the hell wants to live in a world without the Piano Man," the writer-director said in a statement to EW, adding, "Piano Man will feature some of the very best music Billy Joel performed and recorded from 1966 to 1972."
Joel is a five-time Grammy winner and 23-time nominee who is considered one of the best-selling artists of all time, with over 160 million records sold worldwide. And just because he doesn't plan to be involved with Piano Man, he's got plenty on his plate, with several stadium concerts and Madison Square Garden appearances set for the year.
Piano Man will be executive produced by Jaigantic Studios with producers White, Mayne Berke and Donovan de Boer, along with Mazur and Ripp. No further details on casting or pre-production are yet available.
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