A film centered around the Sex Pistols' whirlwind career does not have the stamp of approval from the band's legendary front man, Johnny Lydon a.k.a. "Johnny Rotten."
The film is reportedly called Only Anarchists Are Pretty and is moving ahead without the OK from Lydon or other surviving members of the band's original lineup.
"You may have seen recent reports of a Sex Pistols biopic," Lydon wrote in a Tweet, posted Thursday. "For the avoidance of doubt, this film would be unauthorised, unofficial, and not endorsed by the Sex Pistols."
The Daily Star reported that the biopic was being headed up by filmmaker Ayesha Plunkett, who cited the success of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody — now the most successful music biopic of all-time — as inspiration for the Sex Pistols movie.
Only Anarchists Are Pretty would presumably need the Sex Pistols' approval to be named in the film, plus the OK of each person depicted. Lydon's statement suggests that is not about to happen on his end, but Plunkett is reportedly moving ahead anyway.
The film title comes from a 2004 book, The Early Days of the Sex Pistols: Only Anarchists Are Pretty, which was written by Mick O'Shea.
With no approvals, Plunkett would most likely have to rename the band, the characters and potentially the film, given its association with the band.
Plunkett has denied that the film is a biopic, insisting it is instead "written from a book I liked by Mick O'Shea." There is no director or cast yet attached to the project.
O'Shea himself says he believes Lydon's reticence about signing off on the film stems from lingering resentment over the way the band was portrayed in the 1986 movie, Sid And Nancy.
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