Amy Winehouse biopic to be led by 'Fifty Shades of Grey' director

'Back to Black' is being made with the full support of the late British singer's family

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A feature film about late British singer Amy Winehouse is in the works.

Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson will lead the biopic, according to production company StudioCanal.

Titled Back to Black, the film will look at the life and music of the six-time Grammy Award winner, who died from alcohol poisoning at her north London home in July 2011. Winehouse, who struggled with drink and drug problems through much of her career, was 27 years old.

"StudioCanal is gearing up to make Back to Black. The project is advancing with Sam Taylor-Johnson attached to direct the feature film on the life and music of Amy Winehouse," StudioCanal said, adding a script had been written for the film.

"Back to Black is being made with full support from the Amy Winehouse estate."

British filmmaker Taylor-Johnson is known for directing the first Fifty Shades of Grey film, an adaptation from the hit book trilogy, drama A Million Little Pieces as well as episodes for TV's Gypsy and Solos.

Considered one of the most talented singers of her generation, with hits including Rehab and Back to Black, Winehouse's untimely death shook the music world.

Several documentaries about her have been made, the most recent was narrated by her mother Janis and aired on the BBC in 2021 to mark the 10th anniversary of her death.

The film, Amy Winehouse: 10 Years On, was a result of Janis's desire to tell her daughter's story before multiple sclerosis strips her of her memories.

Documentary Amy (2015) won director Asif Kapadia an Oscar, although at the time the singer’s father Mitch Winehouse called it misleading and said the family had disassociated itself from the film.

Industry publication Deadline said the search for the actress portraying Winehouse in the film would start in coming weeks.

Updated: July 12, 2022, 2:31 PM