Thelonious Monk Estate says biopic with Yasiin Bey is not authorized

Thelonious’ son T.S. Monk says to Pitchfork: “There is no involvement of anyone in the Monk family in this project and we actually condemn the effort”

Thelonious Monk Images

Today the Los Angeles-based production company Jupiter Rising Film announced that Yasiin Bey would portray Thelonious Monk in a biopic about the deceased jazz legend. The co-founders of Jupiter Rising Film also said production of the film, titled Thelonious , would begin in the summer of 2022. Monk – Thelonious Monk’s son and chairman and co-founder of Rhythm-A-Ning Entertainment, the official company of the Thelonious Monk Estate – tells Pitchfork that the film is not authorized by the Estate. “This project and its announcement are completely forbidden! I hate the script and control the music in the Thelonious catalog, ”wrote Monk in an email. “There is no involvement from any of the Monk family in this project, and we condemn the effort in fact.”

Peter Lord Moreland is one of the co-founders of Jupiter Rising Film. He wrote the script for Thelonious and is billed as one of the film’s producers. The Jupiter Rising Film press release states: “The film will be about [Thelonious Monks] struggles for musical success, mental illness and the spiritual love triangle between his wife Nellie and one of the richest women in the world, Nica Rothschild.” / p>

Alberto Marzan is the other co-founder of Jupiter Rising Film and is also billed as one of the movie’s producers. Marzan said in the press release, “It is an honor to be the first to tell this important story in an epic way as it has never been told before. It is a luxury to be the team that tells this important story. “