The ongoing legal issue between the family of the late Joey and Johnny Ramone, founders of The Ramones, has trickled into the upcoming Netflix movie on the legendary punk band starring Pete Davidson.
In a lawsuit filed last week, Linda Ramone, Johnny’s widow, claimed that Joey’s brother, Mickey Leigh, “covertly developed an unapproved and unauthorized Ramones-based biopic” based on his own “one-sided recitation of the history of the Ramones.”
Even though Netflix isn’t mentioned by name, the lawsuit stated the biopic is based on Leigh’s memoir, I Slept with Joey Ramone. The Netflix film shares the same title, is based on the book, and is in partnership with Joey Ramone’s estate.
Both Linda and Leigh have split ownership of The Ramones’ intellectual property, and Linda won’t allow a film to be made without her giving the green light.
“Ms. Ramone objects to defendants’ attempt to create a Ramones film without her involvement—not to be obstinate, but rather based on defendants’ disregard for [Ramones] assets and their conduct and treatment of Ms. Ramone and her late husband,” Linda’s attorneys wrote. “To permit defendants alone to tell the authoritative story of the Ramones would be an injustice to the band and its legacy.”
The lawsuit also claimed that Leigh and David Frey, a director of the Ramones’ holding company, have “shut down the entire company” and are withholding payments from her.
“It is apparent from defendants’ continuing course of conduct that their main objective is to torment Ms. Ramone until she agrees to sell her interests,” Linda’s lawyers added. “Regrettably, Defendants appear willing to allow the band’s legacy to decay, in order to benefit their own self-interest.”
