The director of the rumoured Quadrophenia ‘sequel’ has denied making a follow-up after The Who blasted the project.
Ray Burdis revealed in May that To Be Someone would begin shooting in the summer and many outlets called it a sequel to the 1979 movie Quadrophenia, which was loosely based on the 1973 rock opera of the same name by The Who.
The band even issued a statement distancing themselves from the new movie, calling it “totally ridiculous” and “a blatant attempt to cash in on the original film’s enduring popularity”, and Burdis has now clarified that he is not making a sequel and is simply using some of the Quadrophenia cast, including Phil Daniels and Toyah Willcox, and a similar Mod culture backdrop.
“I have never stated that it was a sequel, and if people draw that conclusion from the cast, what can I do?” he told NME.com. “The fact that some of the cast are in my film is purely coincidental; they are old friends who I have known for years, who like the script and have an interest in the Mod culture.”
He also takes aim at The Who and their manager Bill Curbishley for issuing a statement slamming the project without educating themselves about the story.
“I totally agree that Quadrophenia is a classic, iconic film that should never be revisited,” he continued. “If The Who management had actually read the script of To Be Someone, they would have realized it is not an attempt at a Quadrophenia sequel but a stand-alone film based on modern day Mod culture. It’s a feel good, fun, fashion and music extravaganza.”
In their statement, Curbishley insisted To Be Someone wouldn’t include any words or music by The Who, but Burdis says he never planned on using their songs in the first place. Burdis also recently revealed he had been hoping frontman Roger Daltrey would make an appearance in the movie, but it’s unlikely to happen since their statement.
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