Tyrese and his production company, Voltron Films, have filed a lawsuit against Joan Pendergrass, the widow of the late soul singer Teddy Pendergrass, concerning the rights to a biopic of the iconic singer.
The legal dispute stems from Tyrese’s claim that in 2017, Joan Pendergrass granted him the rights to produce a biographical film about Teddy Pendergrass.
At that time, Tyrese expressed his excitement about the project on Facebook, stating that he owned the life rights to Teddy Pendergrass’s story.
He shared how Teddy had entrusted him with the task of telling his life story, emphasizing his commitment to the project.
In 2019, it was reported that production had commenced on the Teddy Pendergrass biopic, with Tyrese set to portray the beloved singer.
Warner Bros. was slated to distribute the film, and Tyrese had partnered with Empire producer Lee Daniels for production. Joan Pendergrass was expected to serve as the executive producer. However, at that time, the film did not yet have a title or a production start date.
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According to TMZ, Tyrese is now suing Joan Pendergrass, alleging that she refused to extend the option on the rights to Teddy’s story in 2022.
Tyrese claims to have invested $450,000 into the production since acquiring the rights in 2011 and argues that Joan Pendergrass’s failure to extend the option has resulted in financial damages to Voltron Films. He is seeking $1 million in compensatory damages through the lawsuit.
In response, Joan Pendergrass has asserted that she granted the rights to Tyrese in exchange for his promotion of her late husband’s music and legacy.
As of the latest update, Joan Pendergrass has not filed a response to Tyrese’s lawsuit, and she has not made any additional comments on the matter. The legal battle over the rights to the Teddy Pendergrass biopic continues to unfold.