Shailene Woodley starring as Janis Joplin in new biopic
Shailene Woodley has been confirmed as the leading actor in the upcoming biopic of Janis Joplin. She will play the rock legend in the picture, which is set to receive $2.5million in funding from the California Film Commission.
This isn’t the first time that people have tried to capture Janis Joplin’s life in a way that does it justice. There have been a number of attempts at making a Joplin biopic, but none of them have ever come to fruition. Enter Woodley, who will star in and produce the film. It is expected to shoot over 30 days and will spend around $10 million in “qualified expenditures.”
“California meant so much to Janis Joplin – from the stoops of San Francisco to the wooden walls of Sunset Sound,” said Woodley, “The state became the stage upon which she explored not just the world of music, but the world of her vibrant humanity.”
She continued, “Being a Los Angeles native myself, and having grown up working alongside industry locals, knowing our film will be created with some of the most gifted, passionate, and devotional people leaves me giddy.” She said, “I have a feeling Janis would be smiling ear to ear zipping down the PCH in her psychedelic Porsche, knowing her story is bringing opportunities and funding to the city and people that held so much significance in her life.”
We don’t know many details about the project. The company backing the film at the moment is Temple Hill Entertainment, which was responsible for the Twilight movies First Man and Smile; however, other than that, we don’t know a great deal.
One of the most crucial elements that we aren’t aware of is whether or not the Joplin estate is involved in or consented to the movie. Even Woodley doesn’t make a direct reference to the estate, which has left many people questioning whether there will be any pushback on the film before production even begins.
It wouldn’t be out of character for the Joplin estate to turn down the rights to make a movie. The 1979 film The Rose began as a Joplin biopic that was going to be called Pearl. The film’s production had to stop after Joplin’s family didn’t permit them to use the musician’s story. The Rose was still a hit despite having to remove itself from Joplin, as it managed to get four Oscar nominations.
This remains a developing story. It would be exciting if the rights to make a Janis Joplin biopic were granted, but we are still awaiting confirmation.
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