Studiocanal, Focus Features, and Monumental Pictures will partner on feature Back To Black about the late artist Amy Winehouse.

The film will follow Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London in the early ‘00s and her intense journey to fame. Back To Black will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity, and honesty that infused everything she did. A journey that took her from the craziness and color of 90’s Camden High Street to global adoration – and back again, Back To Black crashes through the looking glass of celebrity to watch this journey from behind the mirror, to see what Amy saw, to feel what she felt. 

The screenplay for Back To Black comes from award-winning writer Matt Greenhalgh. Greenhalgh is known for his work on films about musicians; he previously penned Control about Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis and Nowhere Boy about John Lennon’s younger years.

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson On His Connection To Winehouse

Acclaimed filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson will direct and executive produce the film, which has full support from the Amy Winehouse Estate. Taylor-Johnson released this statement about Back To Black:

“My connection to Amy began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden. I got a job at the legendary KOKO CLUB, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop and street… A few years later Amy wrote her searingly honest songs whilst living in Camden. Like with me, it became part of her DNA. I first saw her perform at a talent show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho and it was immediately obvious she wasn’t just ’talent’… she was genius. As a filmmaker you can’t really ask for more.

I feel excited and humbled to have this opportunity to realize Amy’s beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy – her music. I am fully aware of the responsibility, with my writing collaborator – Matt Greenhalgh – I will create a movie that we will all love and cherish forever. Just like we do Amy.”  

First Look At Back To Black

Marisa Abela will lead the project. She most recently starred in season 2 of Industry, from HBO and BBC Two, and will appear in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie later this year. You can see a first-look image of Abela as Winehouse below.

Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in BACK TO BLACK. Credit: Focus Features

Winehouse is considered one of the greatest artists in recent history, selling more than 30 million records worldwide. Her album Back To Black won 5 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the single “Rehab.” The artist died in 2011 at 27 years old, just five years after releasing the album that launched her widespread fame.

Filming on the project begins January 16 in London.

For more updates on the film as they become available, check back to THS.

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