Joey Ramone Biopic: Details on Lawsuits Holding Up Film

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

April 4th 10:10 PM

The drama around the Joey Ramone biopic continues. Here’s a breakdown of what’s holding up the film.

Johnny Ramone’s Widow’s Lawsuit

Per Billboard, Linda Cummings-Ramone, the widow of Johnny Ramone, filed a lawsuit against Mickey Leigh, the brother of Joey Ramone, in January. She alleges that Leigh “covertly developed an unapproved and unauthorized Ramones-based biopic.” Cummings-Ramone also claims the film is a “one-sided recitation of the history of the Ramones.”

Billboard notes that Cummings-Ramone and Leigh have split ownership over Ramones’ intellectual property. Since she wasn’t involved in the making of the film, then the film cannot move forward with release without her permission.

Mickey Leigh’s Countersuit

According to Billboard, Leigh filed a countersuit in March alleging Cummings-Ramone actually gave her permission for the biopic years ago. He referred to her lawsuit as “baseless” and alleged she’s been trying for years to “install herself as the Queen of the Ramones.”

Leigh’s legal team wrote in the countersuit, “Ms. Cummings-Ramone’s main purpose is to embarrass, harass, and destroy the integrity of Mr. Hyman, create an utterly false narrative about him, rewrite her role in the history of the Ramones, and win a popularity contest in which, in her mind, she takes over … the legacy of a band of which she never was a member and had nothing to do with creatively.”

Details on the Joey Ramone Biopic

The Joey Ramone biopic was first announced in April 2021. As previously reported, the film will be based on Leigh’s 2009 book I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Punk Rock Family Memoir. The film will also be titled I Slept with Joey Ramone and will be a joint venture between Netflix and STXfilms.

Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson was cast as the last punk frontman. Directing the film is Jason Orley, who previously worked with Davidson on the film Big Time Adolescence. Orley also directed Davidson’s Netflix standup special Alive from New York.

10 Musicians with Biopics/Series in the Works

• Scott Weiland

  Per The Hollywood Reporter back in June 2021, a new film based on the Weiland memoir Not Dead & Not for Sale by David Ritz is currently in the works at Dark Pictures, a new female-led production company that will focus on “true stories.”

• Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

  In October 2021, the long-in-the-works Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne biopic was picked up by Sony Pictures. The film will cover the many ups and down of Ozzy and Sharon’s relationship.

• U2

  Per The Hollywood Reporter, a scripted series about U2 is currently in the works for Netflix. Helming the project is J.J. Abrams and tasked with writing the series is Anthony McCarten who co-wrote 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. U2 “is expected to be involved and sanction the project,” but there are currently no details regarding a timeline for release or casting.

• KISS

  The KISS biopic will be called Shout It Out Loud, and both Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are working closely on the film. Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) has been tapped as a director with the script being written by Ole Sanders. So far, casting decisions have yet to be announced. The film is on the fast-track at Netflix.

• Heart/Ann and Nancy Wilson

  News of a Heart biopic first surfaced in November 2020 via Deadline. Singer Ann Wilson said Carrie Brownstein of the punk band Sleater-Kinney (and the costar of IFC’s Portlandia) will write and direct. Wilson said, “I saw the first draft of the script. She’s working with the movie company — Amazon — and with the producer, Linda Obst, who did ‘Sleepless in Seattle‘.”

• Joey Ramone

  Netflix announced in April 2021 they’re making a Joey Ramone biopic based on the 2009 book I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Punk Rock Family Memoir by Mickey Leigh, Ramone’s brother. Pete Davidson has been cast as the Ramones singer.

• Bob Dylan

  News of a Dylan biopic surfaced in January 2020. The film is titled Going Electric and will cover Dylan’s transition from folk to rock. Academy Award-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet was cast as Dylan, and the singer-songwriter icon’s longtime manager Jeff Rosen would act as a producer on the film. The project, however, was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No further release details have been confirmed

• John Lennon and Yoko Ono

  In October 2018, The Hollywood Reporter reported a movie about the relationship of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was in the works with Universal Pictures and there were talks with Michael De Luca Productions and Immersive Pictures for the rights of the untitled film.

• Lemmy Kilmister

  Per Deadline, the film will simply be titled Lemmy and will be directed by Greg Olliver who also directed the acclaimed 2010 documentary of the same title. The film will cover Kilmister’s life growing up in Stoke on Trent and his life in music before founding Motorhead.

• Boy George

  In April 2021, Deadline reported the Boy George biopic, appropriately titled Karma Chameleon, was hoping to begin production this summer in London and Bulgaria. Casting for the role of George and other main characters was currently in progress at the time of the initial report.

   

Sign me up for the X 107.5 email newsletter!

Stay connected with the X107.5 VIP Club! Get exclusive upcoming show announcements, the latest updates with your favorite alt-rockers, contest info, and more.

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

Category:

• Classic Rock News
• Music

Tags:

Joey Ramone,Pete Davidson