Editor and director John Ottman is set to direct “Billy & Me,” a feature film chronicling the formative years of superstar singer-pianist Billy Joel.

“Billy & Me” tells the origin story of Joel before fame, before the hits — and, significantly, before “Piano Man,” the 1973 song and album that lofted him to stardom. The film is told through the eyes of Joel’s first manager, Irwin Mazur, who discovered the singer in 1966, signed him in 1970 and oversaw his career up to his breakthrough deal with Columbia Records in 1972.

Casting is currently underway, with production slated for this fall in Winnipeg, Canada and New York. The film follows the two-part 2025 HBO documentary on the singer, “And So It Goes.”

The production has secured Mazur’s exclusive life rights, as well as those of Joel’s longtime friend, drummer and video director Jon Small, who is also on board as a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director. Small was Joel’s drummer in their early band the Hassles, as well as Attila, a little-known acid-rock duo comprised of him and Joel that released an album in 1970. That album is deeply incongruous with the singer’s other work — Joel has described it in no uncertain terms as “psychedelic bullshit.”

However, the project will not have Joel’s approval, rights to his music, or his life rights, which grant a person or company the right to purchase and develop a person’s life story into a media format. In a statement to Variety, a rep for Joel said: “Since 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not possess Billy Joel’s life rights and will not be able to secure the music rights required for this project. Billy Joel has not authorized or supported this project in any capacity, and any attempt to move forward without it would be both legally and professionally misguided.” This is presumably why the story is being told from the perspectives of Mazur and Small.

It is also unclear how or whether Elizabeth Weber, Joel’s first wife and the subject of “She’s Always a Woman,” “Just the Way You Are” and many of his other hits, will be portrayed in the film. She was married to Small and left him for Joel, leading to the breakup of Attila, before the couple themselves split up, factors that contributed to the singer spiraling into a deep depression and suicide attempts, as he discussed in “And So It Goes.” Small found Joel and rushed him to the hospital after the second attempt, and the two reconciled, as did Joel and Weber, who later became his manager.

Most recently, Ottman served as lead editor on the “Michael” biopic and oversaw all creative aspects of post production, including shaping performances, directing ADR, and supervising the final mix. Filmmaker Adam Ripp is set to write the script and will produce the film under his ArtPhyl Pictures banner.

Small says, “This is the most honest, heartfelt, and authentic portrayal of Billy’s early life and rise to becoming one of the greatest musical voices of our time. ‘Billy & Me’ is grounded in truth, shaped with care, and built with the insight of people who genuinely know and love Billy. As someone who was there from the very beginning, I can say this script captures not just the music, but the friendships, struggles, humor, and creative spark that defined those years.”

He continues, “Too often, stories about artists get lost in exaggeration or mythmaking. ‘Billy & Me’ reflects the real history with integrity and respect. I first met Billy when he was 16 years old, and after reading the script, I felt the filmmakers truly understood who he was before the world knew his name.”

Ottman says, “I’m really proud of the development work Adam Ripp and I did to shape ‘Billy & Me’ into both a deeply emotional and fun story. This is the formative years of Billy and his relationship with Irwin Mazur, the man who recognized Billy’s amazing talent even before Billy did himself. Sure, the long hair, cigarette smoke and authentic look of the period turns me on as a filmmaker, but what truly drew me to the material was the humanity at its core.” Ottman added, “It’s funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately very inspiring.”

Financing is being assembled by Jay Cohen, former Partner and Head of Film Finance and Distribution at the Gersh Agency, who is also representing domestic distribution. The film’s executive music producer is Grammy Award nominated music executive Mitchell Leib, who spent nearly three decades as President of Music and Soundtracks at The Walt Disney Studios.

Ottman is represented by David Gersh and Abram Nalibotsky at the Gersh Agency. Ripp is represented by Trevor Engelson at Underground.

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Posted by Temmy
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