Amy Winehouse Biopic in Works; Noomi Rapace to Star

Amy Winehouse’s tragic life story is getting the biopic treatment.

Noomi Rapace is in talks to portray the soulful singer in a movie titled simply Amy Winehouse that will be written and directed by Irish filmmaker Kristen Sheridan.   

Joshua Maurer and Alixandre Witlin of City Entertainment are producing with Tristan Orpen Lynch, while Lotus Entertainment has come aboard to finance, executive produce and sell internationally. CAA and UTA are co-representing domestic rights. Lotus is introducing Amy Winehouse to foreign buyers currently gathered at the American Film Market in Santa Monica.

Talks are also underway with Universal and Sony to obtain music rights.

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Winehouse’s debut album Frank was a critical success, but it was her 2006 sophomore album, Back to Black, that catapulted the soulful British recording artist to international success and shone a light into her personal life, one filled with drug and alcohol use as well as the abusive relationship with her boyfriend-turned husband Blake Fielder-Civil.

Back to Black garnered the artist five Grammy nominations and three wins, including awards for best new artist, record of the year and song of the year for her hit single “Rehab.” Winehouse’s success is credited for helping open the door to other soulful artists such as Adele.

Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27. After her death, Back to Black continued to sell and has since become the U.K.’s second best selling album of the 21st century with over 20 million copies sold to date.

Winehouse’s life was already laid forth in Amy, the documentary that premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and is one of the best reviewed movies of the year and has surpassed all expectations with global earnings in excess of $25 million. A24 released the movie in U.S. in July. Mitch Winehouse, however, has spoken against the documentary.

Rapace is the Swedish actress who broke out with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and has starred in movies such as Prometheus and Child 44. She is talks to star opposite Christian Bale in a biopic of Enzo Ferrari. She is repped by CAA and Magnolia Entertainment.

Nov. 5, 4:00 p.m. Updated to include Lotus Entertainment coming aboard.

Nov. 7, 10:45 a.m. Updated to correct that negotiations are with Universal and Sony to obtain music rights, not Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse.