Stardust, an upcoming David Bowie-based film set to star Johnny Flynn and Marc Maron, is probably going to be missing something pretty important: any of the star’s music. At all. The news comes courtesy of Bowie’s son, director Duncan Jones.
On Twitter, Jones writes, “Pretty certain nobody has been granted music rights for ANY biopic... I would know.” He also goes on to reinforce the fact that the film won’t contain any of Bowie’s music and make it clear that the film doesn’t have his family’s blessing: “I’m not saying this movie is not happening. I honestly wouldn't know. I’m saying that as it stands, this movie won't have any of dad’s music in it, & I can't imagine that changing. If you want to see a biopic without his music or the families blessing, that’s up to the audience.”
In response to Jones’s statements, the producer of Stardust – Salon Pictures, the firm responsible for 2018’s McQueen – told Entertainment Weekly that the film isn’t, in fact, a biopic, and that it was never supposed to use his music.
“We would like to clarify that this film is not a biopic, it is a moment in time film at a turning point in David’s life, and is not reliant on Bowie’s music,” say the producers. “We were told there wouldn’t be approval from the estate… the estate doesn’t (typically) license Bowie’s music.” Instead, “the production uses period music and songs that Bowie covered, but not his original tracks.”
Will a Bowie film work without any of his music though? Only time will tell if it can still be a bestselling show (sorry).