The estate of Tupac Shakur has been trying to get a movie made about his life, however it also seems that Morgan Creek wants the same thing. But it seems they are not playing nice on the playground and now they have called in their lawyers.
The Rick Nicita-topped production house has sued Amaru Entertainment, the company run by Afeni Shakur, the late rapper’s mother and executor, alleging in a Los Angeles Superior Court filing that the company has backed out of an agreement to sell his life rights for a film adaptation.
Negotiations between Morgan Creek and Amaru began in November for life rights that would form the basis of the untitled project.
According to the complaint, a written contract was in place for life rights, with Morgan Creek claiming that Amaru is “refus(ing) to honor and perform a contract of a production of the film based on the life of Tupac Shakur.” The company seeks damages and other relief.
But late Wednesday, Amaru’s lawyers denied the existence of a deal.
This is an important deal that Morgan Creek is trying to arrange. They don’t need her permission to make a movie based on his life. As a public figure his story is public domain. However, if they want to use any of his music in the film they will need a deal. They can’t make a biopic on a music star without his music.
This seems to be a big pile of “he said, she said” while Shakur’s people claiming never to have had a deal which Morgan Creek is suing them for breaking. They want to sue them right back claiming that negotiations with other studios were cut when Morgan Creek scared them off.
Looks to me like its an old fashioned street turf war. Who knows who is right in this scuffle.
Perhaps they should settle this like ganstas and just throw down with some driveby shootings or better yet, they can rap battle for it!
Personally I could live without a Tupac biopic, but eventually it will happen after all this dust settles.
My God man! to sum up, I was just pointing out that it has become obvious to me that Rodney Doesn’t like hip hop music and is not fond of that style and thats why he never has anything extremely positive to say about things being made in that catagory, I never said he was racist nor do I think he is.I could have said the same for Doug who is no longer aroung but i think its plainly obvious that you wouldn’t see these 2 in a hip hop club on the dance floor. I was simply saying they are not the best ppl to comment because they have little to no interest in that style.
But the point of a biopic is not just to appeal to one narrow category of fans. If they wanted to just appease those fans they would just put out more albums from his studio scraps.
A biopic tells a story. And regardless of the type of music he performed, if the story is good, people will want to see it.
I could care less about Johnny Cash, but I thought the movie was awesome. And it wasn’t at all a biopic, but it had some parallels to Marshall Mathers life and I loved 8 Mile. You presume that because I don’t go to hip hop clubs that I cannot appreciate a good story??
I have no interest in seeing it because everything I have heard about this guy is not something I think would make a good story.
And you keep saying I don’t like Hip hop music. I don’t DISLIKE it, but its also not my favourite. There is a lot of it that I do like and I am familiar enough with those circles to have a good sampling of the genre.
Has nothing to do with style. This guy’s life just isn’t that interesting to me.
nobodys being accused of racism….you ppl seem scared to evan discuss any of the actual points made in mine or simons post.not everyone thinks like me or him, but not everyone thinks like you fellas.
wow who whould of thought rodney saying he dident want a tupac film whould make a big raceist debate
I for one have no interest in this intended movie, as I do in most biopics. I can see why Rodney would write about this even though he cares little for Rap Music, you write about what is controversial, whats stirs emotions in people.
Rodney, I’d say your article was successful even though you are in the position of having to defend yourself. If you don’t want to defend yourself and or your opinions., then you write “want ads” in the local newspaper! There is no glory in that, so keep plugging away.
peace bro!
one final note, NOBODY is accusing you of ANYTHING(except maybe being a lil too defensive about a couple of honest comments)
but maybe your attempt at humor hear was innapropriate and therefore a FAILURE.
IMO
the same way film is subjective, so is humor.(especially yours Rodney)
let me know when i can check you out doing standup!
I still wanna fuckin do his laundry
once again rodney, no OFFENSE was intended in replyinhg to your post. that IS why you allow us to “leave a reply” at the bottom of each of your posts…like i said, i enjoy this website. i check it everyday, and usually enjoy the humor mixed in with the passing of information about MOVIES…
i wont get into the fact you chose to correct the spelling of one word in my post, and chose to ignore the fact i dont use capitalization or proper punctuation when im posting COMMENTS on BLOGS….i didnt know i was being graded here ROD…haha
all i was pointing out was that NOBODY called you racist. Simon was just pointing out something that, MAYBE, your hip hop loving readers or evan some african american NOn-hip hop fans,COULD POSSIBLY take offense to your noted sarcasm and failed attempt at humor…..
oh and NO it isnt out of charchter to think that tupac would be involved in gun violence, he WAS violently shot multiple times on multiple occasions. one of which he died slowly a week later in the hospital bed….so good on ya for the joke about HIS MOTHER(who this article is really about) has no history of gun violence or “rap challenges” as you call them….
and to believe everything youve heard on the one or 2 rap songs youve actually probobly listened to leads me to believe you better stick to comic book movies and talking about something else….
looking forward to your spelling corrections and defending your post ROD!
i think its sad that people try to make a big deal out using capitalized letters on a blog, and i wouldn mind a tupac biopic tho i dont like rap i still thought he had a good song CALIFORNIA(W/ DR.DRE)
Again you assume too much. Your entire assumption is that my crack was “failed humour”. Sadly that is only your opinion, and even the rappers would have got it even if they didn’t think it was funny.
I am not taking offense to your failed criticism of my post and it flatters me that you assume I have never heard more than 2 rap tracks in my life. I have some friends who are very much into the gangsta lifestyle. I do like some of the music, though it is not my choice when I turn on the radio or put on my ipod.
i think Rodney is awesome and i want to do his Laundry
This is an interesting. I see this reaching the heights of Walk The Line and Ray in terms of a biopic film. Though I am a little tired about hearing “a new up and coming Tupac movie”. Wasn’t there already 2 prior films released?
I don’t believe Rodney is racist. He shined some light on this film rather than just hearing about it and not mentioning it.
I, myself tend to not care too much for when a new post is added which discusses comic book or toy movies. I like all types of movies.
you shouldnt take offense rodney, if you are indeed NOT racist…..but simon didnt call you a RACIST….he didnt CALL you anything.
its a shame when someone starts an important conversation on race, stereotypes and prejudice that ppl get uncomfortable and begin to defend whether or not they are “racist”
the fact is, rodney, when you end an otherwise informative article about a legal conflict between 2 partys, and REDUCE it to a “drive by shooting” or an “ol fashioned street turf war” it tends to make me feel more uncomfortable then when reading your otherwise benine articles….
And it is so out of character to think that Tupac might have been involved in gun violence or rap challenges. Its called a sense of humour but people just want to jump to the accusations because I associated a gun toting rapper with rapping and gun violence.
I didn’t reduce the legal action to a racial stereotype. The whole situation is a mess and at this point they are both pointing fingers at each other with no news as to who is in the right.
It was a gag. Exhale.
(and its benign. Just sayin.)
if they did make this will the guy who played tupac in Notorious be tupac in this? cus i thought he was quite good in Notorious (:
I don’t want to get in a big argument about this Rodney, I read your site everyday since it started I just think you bash those types of movies more than others that you praise, I liked get rich or die trying, Notorious ect…. no they are not amazing films but if you like hip hop music you can appreciate them more.
“Personally I could live without a Tupac biopic”
This is because you don’t like Tupac obviously.Don’t worry about it I don’t like Tupac either as far as music goes but of all the biopics about rappers this is the main one to do. Maybee I am wrong but when I see something on your site about black actors it often leans towards the negative, like I said maybee I am wrong, its possible.I can tell you one thing 50cent gets no love here… He’s not a good actor I know but then again Megan Fox sucks to but you don’t mention that about her.
I think you’re reaching a little one this buddy. The fact that he can live without a Tupac biopic doesnt obviously mean he doesn’t Tupac. Hell, I have all of his pre-death cds (I refuse to buy the rehashed stuff they keep releasing since he died) and I can do without a Tupac biopic. As far as 50cents goes, Rodney is right. He can’t rap and has no business in movies.
Rodney, You seem like a nice guy and dont take offence but I am wondering why you always seem to be the one commenting on movies with black actors and or rap, you don’t like hip hop, thats obvious, and you always need to put your 2cents in about how you dont care about it.
Same can be said about your assumptions Simon.
How can I not take offense when you just called me a racist.
It has nothing to do with black actors or rap. And I don’t dislike Hip-hop, its just not my favourite.