Netflix Documentary Centered Around the Life of Prince Has Been Officially Canceled

For nearly five decades, Prince shared his love for music, art, and fashion with the world. Having released numerous studio albums and appeared in films like Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon, the singer was in a league of his own. Embracing genres like funk, soul, rock, jazz, and hip hop, the singer sold over 100 million albums and landed a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. With such a lavish career on and off the stage, the director behind O.J.: Made in America, Ezra Edelman, hoped to make a documentary about the star. And while in the works, it appeared that the project was canceled. 

Although a documentary about the life and career of Prince seemed like a good idea, some might even say great, Edelman wanted to show a different side of the singer. While touching on his stardom, the documentary supposedly included major details about his past partners. And apparently, some accused the singer of both physical and emotional abuse. 

[RELATED: The Recording Academy Celebrates Frankie Valli, the Clash, and Prince With Lifetime Achievement Award]

What The Prince Documentary Was About

Looking at the New York Times, the publication described the documentary as “a cursed masterpiece that the public may never be allowed to see.” It painted the icon as a “creature of pure sex and mischief and silky ambiguity [who] was also dark, vindictive and sad. This artist who liberated so many could be pathologically controlled and controlling.”

Noting that the film could be “uncomfortable to watch”, the problems surrounding the film came from Edelman. When speaking with Netflix, the director needed to bring the company six hours worth of material. When the day arrived, he brought nine. Although bringing more than enough content, Edelman was breaching his contract. This allowed the Prince estate to refuse the film to use his music. And that is exactly what they did. 

While having spent over four years on the project, it appears that fans might never see what Edelman was working on. And with a great deal of dedication put into the project, the director was devastated by the news.

(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)