Prince Documentary Canceled by Netflix, Estate Plans New Project
Netflix has withdrawn the upcoming Prince documentary directed by Ezra Edelman, following an agreement with the Prince Estate.
The Estate and Netflix mutually decided to allow the Estate to produce a new documentary utilizing exclusive content from Prince's archive. As a result, the Netflix project will not be released.
Upon the announcement, the Prince Estate shared a video expressing "the vault has been freed" with the hashtag "Free."
Representatives of the Estate previously alleged factual inaccuracies and sensationalized portrayals in an early cut of the film.
Edelman, renowned for his "O.J.: Made in America" documentary, worked on the Prince project for over four years, gaining access to the artist's archives. However, it is reported that he surpassed the agreed-upon six-hour length, delivering nine hours of footage, leading to a breach of contract and the Estate's withholding of music rights.
According to a report in The New York Times, the documentary included allegations of physical and emotional abuse by Prince's ex-girlfriends. It explored his life and career, addressing his childhood and the loss of his child with Mayte Garcia.