Linda Ramone, widow of guitarist Johnny Ramone, has filed a lawsuit to prevent a film about the band from being produced by Netflix.
The lawsuit accuses the production of favoring the point of view of Joey Ramone’s brother, Mickey Leigh, author of the book that inspired the film. “Letting Mickey Leigh alone be responsible for telling the story of the Ramones would be an injustice to the group and its legacy,” justifies the lawsuit.
Johnny Ramone’s widow claims that although the biopic focuses on the story of Mickey Mouse and Joey, the film cannot be produced without her permission, as it also addresses the cohabitation between the singer and the guitarist of the punk band. Her lawyers also accuse the production of looking for ways to make the film without needing Linda’s approval, including the possibility of re-recording Ramones classics so as not to use the original recordings in the biopic.
The film is still in the early stages of development, under the title “I Slept with Joey Ramone”, and so far only actor Pete Davidson (“Death! Death! Death”) has been cast in the cast, who plays the role of the singer .
Mickey and Linda became administrators of the late Joey and Johnny’s estates in the early 2000s and have been involved in several conflicts since then. Mickey even won a lawsuit against Linda in 2018, claiming that the widow “used the Ramones name inappropriately in several projects.” But the court’s ruling included a criticism of the battles between the two. “They let their egos prevail over their obligations,” the ruling states.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
