Sasha Weiss

So the project seemed to be at an impasse. And ultimately, last month, Netflix comes out with the following statement. 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. Translation, Ezra Edelman's film is dead. He's cut out. It's thrown away.

So the project seemed to be at an impasse. And ultimately, last month, Netflix comes out with the following statement. 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. Translation, Ezra Edelman's film is dead. He's cut out. It's thrown away.

And if there's ever going to be a film, it's going to be a film made by the estate.

And if there's ever going to be a film, it's going to be a film made by the estate.

Well, all of the parties have been tight-lipped about the situation for contractual reasons, but that's my sense of it. Yeah. So the day after this news came out, I was able to talk to Ezra. Well, it's kind of a grim day.

Well, all of the parties have been tight-lipped about the situation for contractual reasons, but that's my sense of it. Yeah. So the day after this news came out, I was able to talk to Ezra. Well, it's kind of a grim day.

And he was devastated.

And he was devastated.

And, you know, we were talking a little bit about the state's rationale or what we perceive as the state's rationale. And he thinks it's absurd.

And, you know, we were talking a little bit about the state's rationale or what we perceive as the state's rationale. And he thinks it's absurd.

The lawyer for the estate said to Ezra at one point in this process, he fears the film will do generational harm to Prince.

The lawyer for the estate said to Ezra at one point in this process, he fears the film will do generational harm to Prince.

Yes. I think the fear is, in a cross way, this will get Prince canceled.

Yes. I think the fear is, in a cross way, this will get Prince canceled.

He was a jerk. He was a difficult boss. You know, he was mean. Right? That it would demystify this icon. You know, fundamentally, they're concerned about their bottom line.

He was a jerk. He was a difficult boss. You know, he was mean. Right? That it would demystify this icon. You know, fundamentally, they're concerned about their bottom line.

But I think, you know, Ezra sees it the opposite way.

But I think, you know, Ezra sees it the opposite way.

She thinks that a complex, meaningful engagement with Prince just deepens our relationship with him and kind of revives his legacy. And, I mean, I totally agree. Like, Prince is present, but it's not like he's a vital figure in the culture right now. And I bet anything that if this film had come out, there would have been a whole huge...

She thinks that a complex, meaningful engagement with Prince just deepens our relationship with him and kind of revives his legacy. And, I mean, I totally agree. Like, Prince is present, but it's not like he's a vital figure in the culture right now. And I bet anything that if this film had come out, there would have been a whole huge...