Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson is reported to be helming an official biopic about the late singer Amy Winehouse.
The film is expected to be called Back to Black and will follow the rise and tragic death of the singer, who was a close friend of the filmmaker, The Guardian has reported.
The news follows several attempts to bring Winehouse's story to the big screen, including a planned biopic starring Noomi Rapace in 2015.
Back to Black is being made with the full cooperation of the singer’s estate, including her father, Mitch Winehouse, who was highly critical of Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning 2015 documentary, Amy, which went on to be the most successful documentary in British cinema history.
Winehouse released her debut album, Frank, in 2003 and released the multi-million selling Back to Black album in 2006. She died of alcohol poisoning in 2011 at the age of 27.
Winehouse’s family had originally partnered with producers Alison Owen and Debra Hayward in 2018 a potential biopic, with reports suggesting that proceeds from the film would go the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
"We now feel able to celebrate Amy’s extraordinary life and talent," Mitch said in a statement. "And we know through the Amy Winehouse Foundation that the true story of her illness can help so many others who might be experiencing similar issues."
When talking about who should play the singer in 2018, he said: "I wouldn’t mind betting it would be an unknown, young, English - London, cockney - actress who looks a bit like Amy."
Taylor-Johnson’s debut feature film was the well-received John Lennon drama Nowhere Boy.
However, her Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation, starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, was slammed by the critics but took over $560m at the global box office.
