Long-awaited Netflix documentary on Prince blocked by musician’s estate

• Prince’s estate has blocked a long-awaited Netflix documentary about the late music icon, sparking controversy over creative control and how his legacy will be told. This decision allows the estate to produce a new documentary with exclusive content from Prince’s archive.
• The estate likely rejected the Netflix documentary due to what it called “dramatic factual inaccuracies.”
• The original agreement called for a six-hour series, but the estate rejected the nine-hour version that was delivered by director Ezra Edelman.

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Prince’s estate has blocked a long-awaited Netflix documentary about the late music icon. The decision has sparked controversy over creative control and how his legacy will be told.

A documentary about Prince was first announced in 2018. According to Variety, the estate initially gave the project its full cooperation.

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However, in a statement posted Thursday, Feb. 6, on Prince’s official social media accounts, the estate revealed it had reached a “mutual agreement” with Netflix.

The statement reads: “The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive. As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released.”

Around the same time, the estate shared a video with the caption, “The Vault has been freed.” That refers to Prince’s personal archive of unreleased music, footage and writings, which the film director had access to.

With the Netflix documentary scrapped, the estate now has control over a new project.

Why the estate likely rejected the Netflix documentary

In the summer of 2023, sources close to the film told Variety that Prince’s estate did not approve of the first cut. The estate claimed the documentary contained “dramatic factual inaccuracies” and sensationalized certain events.

A New York Times report stated that the film featured ex-girlfriends of the singer, alleging physical and emotional abuse. These claims reportedly contributed to the estate’s decision to withhold support.

Ezra Edelman’s fallout with the estate

The documentary was directed by Ezra Edelman, best known for the Oscar-winning “OJ: Made in America.”

The original agreement called for a six-hour series, but Variety reported that Edelman delivered a nine-hour version instead. The estate rejected the extended cut and withheld music rights, effectively shutting down the project.

Prince estate member and music producer Charles Spicer criticized Edelman’s work in an October 2023 post on X.

“Just because you win an Oscar for one subject doesn’t mean you can translate that same on another. It’s TRASH.”

This Right Here👆🏾@JamesJdcxc is on it! Just because you win an Oscar for one subject doesn’t mean you can translate that same on another. It’s 🗑️

— Charles F. Spicer Jr (@CharlesFSpicer) October 12, 2024

His post suggested the estate felt Edelman was not the right fit for telling Prince’s story.

Prince’s estate struggles since his passing

Prince died in 2016 from an accidental drug overdose without a will. His estate faced years of legal battles, including disputes over its value and who would control his music rights.

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Other artists have faced similar estate struggles. Aretha Franklin’s family spent five years in court before a judge ruled that a handwritten will found inside a couch cushion was valid. Whitney Houston also had an outdated will that left everything to her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. However, it did not account for her daughter’s death just three years later.

With the Netflix documentary canceled, Prince’s estate now holds full control over his narrative. Fans will have to wait and see how his story will be told — and by whom.