Tyrese and his manufacturing firm Voltron Movies are suing Joan Pendergrass — the widow of Teddy Pendergrass — over the rights to a biopic of the late soul singer.
Again in 2017, the Quick & Livid star took to Fb to disclose that Joan Pendergrass granted him the rights to a biopic of the “Flip Off The Lights” singer, and he couldn’t have been extra thrilled about it.
“I personal the life rights to the Teddy Pendergrass story,” Tyrese wrote within the caption. “He embraced me and advised me and his spouse Joan Pendergrass and his beloved household that “Nobody will inform my story of my life however you”….. I belief you and really feel like you’ll do proper by me and my story……//. I’m nonetheless to today so moved by the gesture that I received’t relaxation till it’s achieved….. As he laid to relaxation on this casket I dedicated then and I’m nonetheless dedicated now to telling his story……. The life story of Teddy Pendergrass coming quickly……. in Jesus identify amen!!!!!!!!!!”
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Then, in 2019, Deadline reported that filming for the Teddy Pendergrass biopic was underway, with Tyrese set to play the silk-voiced crooner, and with Warner Brothers set to distribute the movie. The outlet additionally reported that Tyrese had teamed up with Empire producer Lee Daniels to supply, and that Joan Pendergrass was slated to be the chief producer.
The movie, nevertheless, didn’t have a reputation or a manufacturing begin date at the moment.
Now, in keeping with TMZ, Tyrese is suing Joan Pendergrass as a result of, he alleges, Teddy’s widow refused to increase the choice on the rights to Teddy’s story again in 2022. What’s extra, Tyrese claimed that he invested $450,000 into the manufacturing since he first obtained the rights to the movie again in 2011, and Pendergrass’s failure to increase the choice resulted in monetary damages to Voltron Movies.
As such, Tyrese is searching for $1 million in compensatory damages.
Joan Pendergrass, in the meantime, is claiming that she solely granted the rights to Tyrese in alternate for his promotion of her late husband’s music and legacy.
As of this writing, Joan Pendergrass hasn’t filed a solution to Tyrese’s go well with, and he or she had no different remark as of press time.