Sony Music Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against producers of the Whitney Houston biopic, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, for the unauthorized use of the late singer’s music. The producers are accused of not having paid the licensing fees for the music used in the 2022 film that grossed $59.8 million in the box office. The initial agreement granted the film access to over 20 of Houston’s songs, including ‘I Will Always Love You.’ Four companies are involved in the lawsuit, including Anthem Films, NYBO Productions, and Black Label Media.
At the time of the film’s release, a legal agreement was made for the use of the music, which the producers have allegedly breached. According to Music Business Worldwide, the producers have not yet paid any of the licensing fees despite being due in July 2023. The companies were given 15 business days to make payment after they were notified of their subsequent breach of licensing.
Sony is reportedly requesting at least $3.6 million (£2.85 million) in damages, as well as a court order to put an end to the alleged copyright infringement. The company maintains that the producers “have continued to distribute and otherwise exploit [Houston’s] recordings in connection with the film without authorization.”
The biopic, starring Naomi Ackie as the late Whitney Houston, was available for streaming on Netflix last year and received mixed reviews. In 2019, the Whitney Houston estate and music company, Primary Wave, partnered to boost the singer’s assets. The partnership released a Kygo remix of Houston’s cover of ‘Higher Love’ by Steve Winwood. The remix reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Play chart and later featured in the 2022 biopic. In 2023, Gaither Music Group released a posthumous gospel album featuring a compilation of previously unreleased tracks by the singer. The album titled ‘I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston’ was said to celebrate Houston’s “lifelong connection to gospel music,” as reported by Billboard
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