Purple Rain

A ‘Jukebox Musical Film’ Based On Prince’s Biggest Hits Directed By Ryan Coogler Is Reportedly In The Works

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Prince NAACP Image Awards 2005
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Film lovers, brace yourself. Apparently, there’s yet another musical movie heading to theaters. However, unlike other projects (Wonka, Mean Girls, Wicked, etc), this rumored theatrical release is completely appropriate considering its subject.

According to The InSneider, Prince’s biggest hits could be coming to the big screen. The newsletter letter reports that a “jukebox musical film” based on the late musician’s discography, directed by Ryan Coogler, is in the works.

Based on author Jeff Sneider’s account, the forthcoming project is backed by Universal Pictures but helmed by Proximity Media. Sneider also alleges that the venture has supposedly been “in development since 2018.” This part is noteworthy seeing that Prince died in April 2016. Following his tragic death, his estate was in constant contention as to which entities could license his likeness. Ultimately, the estate took first dibs, dropping unreleased music, a collector’s edition of written works, and more.

There have already been several attempts to release visuals about Prince’s life, including Ava DuVernay’s failed documentary attempt with Netflix. So, the public isn’t getting their hopes up. However, Sneider says the team over this latest project has been fully formed with involvement from Coogler’s wife and fellow director Zinzi, Bryan Edward Hill, Sev Ohanian, and Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, Jody Gerson.

Prince’s musical movie, Purple Rain, was preserved by the National Film Registry. So, Coogler has big shoes to fill. But given his past track record, he seems to be the perfect person for the job.

Prince’s Iconic ‘Purple Rain’ Set to Hit Broadway as a Musical

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purple rain prince

The legendary film Purple Rain, featuring the music of Prince, is set to take the stage as a musical, with Pulitzer finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins crafting the book.

Adapted from the screenplay of the 1984 film, the project will showcase Prince’s iconic music and lyrics, guided by director Lileana Blain-Cruz and producer Orin Wolf.

Purple Rain, the film that starred the renowned singer-songwriter, narrates the original tale of an emerging Minneapolis rock musician. While the movie gained immediate success, Prince’s soundtrack remains enduring, earning him Grammy and Academy Awards. The album, certified 13-times Platinum, includes classics like “When Doves Cry,” “The Beautiful Ones,” and the titular track. Prince’s influence transcends the film’s release, and his untimely death in 2016 marked a significant loss to the music world.

“It’s been almost 40 years since Prince’s legendary film, Purple Rain, took the world by storm and we can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honor Prince and the Purple Rain legacy with this stage adaptation of the beloved story,” says NorthStar Group Chairman L Londell McMillan and Primary Wave Music Founder and CEO Larry Mestel in a joint statement. “We are thrilled with our Broadway partners and creative team, who are bringing a theatricality to the film’s original fictional story. We can’t wait for a new generation to discover Purple Rain and for lovers of the original film and album to experience its power once again, this time live.”

According to Playbill, details regarding the musical’s development timeline and casting remain undisclosed. However, the project’s website, PurpleRainBroadway.com, suggests a Broadway debut, emphasizing the anticipation surrounding this exciting adaptation. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, known for his contributions to Broadway, is set to deliver a fresh perspective, following his recent success with “The Skin of Our Teeth” and his ongoing Broadway debut with “Appropriate.”

The post Prince’s Iconic ‘Purple Rain’ Set to Hit Broadway as a Musical first appeared on The Source.

The post Prince’s Iconic ‘Purple Rain’ Set to Hit Broadway as a Musical appeared first on The Source.

The Weeknd Reveals How These Iconic Albums Influenced “The Idol” Soundtrack

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The Weeknd is going to be starring in a brand-new television show called The Idol. This new series is going to debut on June 4th of this year. Additionally, it was co-created by Sam Levinson, who is the man behind Euphoria. With HBO behind it as well, you can imagine that there is a lot of hype at play here. However, there is also a lot of turmoil surrounding the show. Overall, there have been various accusations of wrongdoing behind the scenes. These concerns were levied by Rolling Stone, however, the show clapped back with a cynical response.

Either way, many fans of The Weeknd are hyped for his new show. He has acted before, but never on such a large scale. Consequently, many are interested in seeing how he will do. For the most part, it seems as though he is going to do a great job, as demonstrated by the teaser trailers that have been put out. Furthermore, the artist is going to be doing the soundtrack for the series. This is going to be a whole lot of fun, and fans are curious as to what direction he will go in.

The Weeknd Speaks On “The Idol”

The Weeknd receives the 2022 Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award backstage during the “After Hours Til Dawn” Tour at SoFi Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Live Nation)

In a recent interview with Interview, ironically enough, The Weeknd spoke about his influences in regard to the soundtrack. Overall, Abel is flexing his knowledge of artists like Pink Floyd and Prince. “I’ve been inspired by The Wall and Purple Rain and when Bowie was doing it,” he explaine. “But even films like Shaft, the music is literally telling the story of the film. But I want to take it to the next level. I want to challenge myself and I feel like, as a musician, I’m the best I’ve ever been.”

Based on these revelations, there is no doubt that The Weeknd has cooked up something truly special. Hopefully, the soundtrack and the show can live up to the hype. Let us know what you think of his recent comments, down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world.

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Company’s Attempt to Trademark “Purple Rain” for Energy Drinks Denied

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Prince's Estate Valued at $156.4 Million | The Source

The Trademark Trial & Appeal Board (TTAB) has rejected a trademark application to register the mark PURPLE RAIN, finding that such a mark would create the false suggestion of a connection with the late iconic recording artist Prince Rogers Nelson.   Where a party seeks to register a new trademark with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, that registration may be opposed by other parties for specific reasons, including where the registration would cause consumer confusion or where it would create a false suggestion of a connection with another party.

JHO Intellectual Property Holdings sought to register the mark PURPLE RAIN for dietary and supplemental energy drinks and for “Energy drinks; Isotonic drinks; Non-alcoholic drinks, namely, energy shots, ‘Sports drinks.’”  The registration of the mark was opposed by Paisley Park Enterprises, LLC and NPG Records, LLC, who, between them claimed registered and common law rights in the mark, as well as rights to Prince’s image, name, and likeness. 

Paisley Park and NPG presented evidence showing that the term “Purple Rain” was associated with and often synonymous with Prince, including that PURPLE RAIN was a 13X platinum album selling millions of copies worldwide and was the title of an Academy-award-winning movie scored by and starring Prince. 

In concluding that JHO’s mark created a false suggestion of a connection with Prince, the TTAB found that: (i) JHO’s PURPLE RAIN mark was a close approximation of Prince’s identity; (ii) that PURPLE RAIN pointed uniquely and unmistakably to Prince, based in part of a survey showing 66.3% of the general public recognized “Purple Rain” as a reference to Prince; (iii) that there was no connection between Paisley Park/NPG and JHO’s goods using the mark; and (iv) that consumers would presume a connection to Prince because Paisley Park and NPG marketed a variety of goods under the PURPLE RAIN mark (even though they did not sell energy drinks or supplements specifically).  

In a statement, L. Londell McMillan, Managing Member of Prince Legacy, LLC, the co-manager of the Prince estate and assets, said, “as stewards of Prince’s legacy, we are pleased that the Board recognized the direct association that ‘Purple Rain’ has with Prince, and the strong likelihood that any third party use of ‘Purple Rain’ will create a false suggestion of a connection with Prince.”

The post Company’s Attempt to Trademark “Purple Rain” for Energy Drinks Denied appeared first on The Source.