Billy Joel hits back at planned biopic, says filmmakers ‘will not be able to secure the music rights required’

Billy Joel is putting nan “no” successful “Piano Man.”

A euphony biopic chronicling nan iconic musician’s early years, titled “Billy & Me,” is moving up without Joel’s blessing.

John Ottman, who worked arsenic an editor connected 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and this year’s “Michael,” is group to nonstop nan film. Adam Ripp is group to constitute nan book and nutrient nan film.

“Since 2021, nan parties progressive person been officially notified that they do not person Billy Joel’s life authorities and will not beryllium capable to unafraid nan euphony authorities required for this project,” Joel’s typical said successful a connection obtained by Page Six.

“Billy Joel has not authorized aliases supported this task successful immoderate capacity, and immoderate effort to move guardant without it would beryllium some legally and professionally misguided,” they added.

“Billy & Me” is group to research Joel’s root communicative done nan eyes of his first manager, Irwin Mazur, Variety reported Tuesday.

Ottman said he’s “really proud” of nan activity he and Ripp person done to “to style ‘Billy & Me’ into some a profoundly affectional and nosy story,” per nan outlet.

“This is nan formative years of Billy and his narration pinch Irwin Mazur, nan man who recognized Billy’s astonishing talent moreover earlier Billy did himself,” Ottman’s statment continued. “Sure, nan agelong hair, cigaret fume and authentic look of nan play turns maine connected arsenic a filmmaker, but what genuinely drew maine to nan worldly was nan humanity astatine its core.”

Ottman called nan movie “funny, heartbreaking, and yet very inspiring.”

Mazur discovered Joel, 77, successful 1966 and oversaw his profession up until he signed pinch Columbia Records successful 1972.

Production has secured authorities to Mazur’s life arsenic good arsenic those of Jon Small, a longtime friend and early collaborator of Joel’s.

Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, was joined to Small earlier she near him for nan “Uptown Girl” singer.

The matter led to nan dissolution of Joel and Small’s band, Attila.

In nan aftermath, Joel suffered from bouts of slump and attempted termination aggregate times, a play of nan musician’s life depicted successful nan 2025 documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.”