by Josh Forward
There have been so many rumoured, green lit and delayed productions of a Janis Joplin biopic, it’s nearly impossible to keep track. But we're here to try! Janis was a 60’s superstar, with an iconic voice and an image that was reflective of the counter culture of the times. She also sadly joined the 27 club by a drug overdose.
Her incredible life and talent has been promised on the big screen for decades and the latest announcement has Michelle Williams as Joplin under the direction of Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene). This will be based on Laura Joplin’s book "Love, Janis" made up of real letters from Joplin. This is not to be confused with the delayed version starring Amy Adams directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, halted by legal trouble which was tentatively called Get it While You Can.
But these two productions have actually been competing since the 1990’s. And before them there were other failed attempts. Let’s look back...
1979 The Rose starring Bette Midler is released. This was originally intended to be a biopic of Janis Joplin named Pearl, Joplin’s nickname, but the family refused the rights and weren't comfortable with how she was being portrayed. Bette Midler won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the performance. The Rose remains the closest we've gotten to an onscreen Joplin biopic.
Mid-90’s A film titled Piece of My Heart, rumoured to star Courtney Love as Janis Joplin, was announced without a director attached.
1998 Melissa Etheridge and her partner wrote a script, with Etheridge looking to star. Gary Fleder, best known for thrillers like Kiss the Girls, was set to direct a version. This was also titled Piece of My Heart.
1999 As the anniversary of her death loomed, the words “Dueling Joplin Biopics” appeared and have lived on for the (nearly) two decades since. The rumoured Courtney Love version now had Brittany Murphy as Janis Joplin, who described the part as a dream role, and campaigned hard to get it. Though that version never happened, Murphy's audition tape made her a top candidate for a role in the film version of Chicago. A rival production starring Lili Taylor is also announced which never eventuates. The Etheridge version tried to sign Marc Rocco to direct after Fleder left.
Early 2000’s Piece of My Heart was revitalised with a new script by Anne Meredith and now it's a star vehicle for then ascendant Renee Zellwegger. At the same time a film to be called The Gospel According to Janis has director Penelope Spheeris attached with P!nk starring. The latter proposed film is the first time a production has the blessing of a member of the family, Laura Joplin. Peter Newman who is the producer for the recently announced Michelle Williams version was also behind this Spheeris version. Here Newman begins his life long ambition of getting a biopic made, and has amassed all the appropriate rights to do so. Both films were delayed but still promised for nearly five years.
2006 Musician/actress Zooey Deschanel is set to replace P!nk in the Spheeris version, with a revamped script by Stephen Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson. Deschanel takes vocal lessons to prepare. Zellwegger reaffirms her interest in the other Joplin picture
2009 30 Rock skewers the constant efforts to make the film with Jenna Maroney starring in in the fictional picture Jackie Jormp Jomp, when they can’t get the rights to Joplin’s life, name or music. Jane Krakowski’s comedic genius was in full flight like an iron bird.
2010 Fernando Meirelles (City of God) signs on to direct the Zellwegger version… only now its for Amy Adams with a new script by Ron Terry and Theresa Kounin-Terry. Despite new directors, new star, and new script, this is technically still the same production that's been pushed since the early 2000’s. Now it's titled Get it While You Can.
2011 Five years after signing on, Deschanel formally announces that the will not be happening. Catherine Hardwicke replaces Meirelles as the director of the competing Amy Adams version.
2012Lee Daniels replaces Hardwicke who drops out. He drops out the same year. Peter Newman’s production, The Gospel According to Janis roars back to life with Tony winning Broadway star Nina Arianda (recently seen in Florence Foster Jenkins) attached.
2014 Jean-Marc Vallee is now attached to Get it While You Can. Production is set to go ahead until rights issues stagger the progress of the film; scriptwriter Ron Terry was caught shopping the same script to other producers.
2015 Amy Berg directs the well-received documentary on Janis’s life Janis: Little Girl Blue, narrated by musician Cat Power.
2016 - Peter Newman gathers Michelle Williams and director Sean Durkin with a brand new script based on correspondence written by Janis Joplin assembled by Laura Joplin, Janis’ sister in her novel Love, Janis.
Are you exhausted yet? How likely do you think the Michelle Williams version is to actually happen and why do people keep signing up after years of failures to greenlight this? Did we miss any rumored actresses?