More intel has arrived on the elusive Prince documentary — and it doesn’t sound promising.
Sources close to the situation informed Variety that the project directed by Ezra Edelman is “dead in the water” following claims from his estate’s reps that the first cut of the doc contained “dramatic” factual inaccuracies.
Additionally, Puck‘s Matthew Belloni — who was the first to break the news — previously cited a source that “insists it’s not revelations of drug use or sexual stuff” that’s fueling the estates’ opposition. Both outlets received word from their sources that the problems surrounding the documentary more so involved “control.”
Sources told Variety that the late music artist’s estate was adamant that the portrayal of particular life events of his were “sensationalized” and not correctly checked for accuracy, and that Edelman resisted some of these claims.
The challenges facing the project revolve around Prince’s estate, which was split into two parts two years ago, and who a music insider described as “incredibly nitpicky” to Page Six earlier this week. The source noted that the executor is responsible for handling Prince’s legacy “with kid gloves,” and claimed that the current iteration of the doc “does not accurately portray the legendary Prince.”
“You never saw Prince release anything subpar. Everything was carefully curated and fine-tuned. The estate still holds that high standard,” they added.
Edelman, who took over for original director Ava DuVernay and who Variety reports is allegedly “devastated” by this loss, had reportedly crafted a nine-hour-long documentary, which surpassed what was written in the deal as a six-hour-long project. The O.J.: Made In America director is said to have poured four years into this six-part project for Netflix.
The deal, which was never publicly announced by the streaming giant but reported by Variety, had been generated between Netflix and reps for Comerica Bank, who at the time was the “interim executor” of Prince’s estate.
Decider reached out to a Netflix representative for comment, but did not hear back by time of publication.
