Billy Joel has expressed opposition to an unauthorized planned biopic about him. According to Variety’s report on May 19, screenwriter Adam Ripp and director John Ottman are currently working on the project titled Billy and Me, with filming set to begin in fall 2026.
This news follows a similar attempt by Ripp and Jaigantic Studios’ Michael Jai White to produce a biopic titled Piano Man in 2022. However, that project did not proceed due to lack of authorization from Joel.
A spokesperson for the 77-year-old American singer-songwriter stated to PEOPLE magazine that since 2021, they have been officially informed by Joel that he does not grant life rights or music rights for any unauthorized projects. The statement further clarified that any attempt to move forward without authorization would be legally and professionally misguided.