Things fall apart for rapper as Nigerian writer makes him change forthcoming film title to avoid conflict with 1958 novel
Cheer up Fiddy … 50 Cent forced to change film title
50 Cent has been undone by one of Africa's greatest novelists, Chinua Achebe. The rapper's latest movie has been renamed ahead of its release, due to a conflict with Achebe's most famous work.
Things Fall Apart, published by Achebe in 1958, is Nigeria's most famous English-language novel. It has sold more than 8m copies worldwide. Unfortunately, 50 Cent was not aware of this. He spent much of 2010 shooting a film of the same name, the story of an American football player diagnosed with cancer. "It's a project that I wrote, produced and financed myself," he explained last year. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, it premiered at the Miami film festival in March and is expected to be released soon.
Unfortunately for Fiddy, his film will not keep its original title. After being contacted by Achebe's legal team, 50 Cent allegedly offered $1m to hold on to the title. Achebe, 80, took this as an insult. "The novel with the said title was initially produced in 1958 (that is 17 years before [50] was born)," replied his lawyers, according to Naijan. "[It is] listed as the most-read book in modern African literature, and won't be sold for even £1bn." The film has now been renamed to All Things Fall Apart.
Achebe rejects 50 Cent’s $1m
The success story of Chinua Achebe’s classical novel, Things Fall Apart, has assumed another dimension as the celebrated author has turned down a $1m bid by hip hop star, 50 Cent, to use the title of the book for a new film he is producing.
Online sources indicated on Monday that 50 Cent had initially titled the movie, Things Fall Apart, a move that Achebe swiftly kicked against.
According to a source, the producers of the film offered the revered writer $1 million but he declined the offer.
As a result, he has changed the title to All Things Fall Apart.
“The novel with the said title was first produced in 1958 (17 years before 50cent was born), listed as the most widely read book in modern African literature, and will not be sold for One Billion Dollars,” the source quotes a statement attributed to Achebe’s legal counsel.
According to PopEater the movie was “written by 50 Cent – whose real name is Curtis Jackson - is loosely based on the life of his childhood best friend. In the movie, the rapper-turned-actor goes from a dread-locked NFL hopeful to an emaciated cancer victim,
It stars Ray Liotta alongside 50 Cent, and is directed by Mario Van Peebles, who also appears in the movie.
The success story of Chinua Achebe’s classical novel, Things Fall Apart, has assumed another dimension as the celebrated author has turned down a $1m bid by hip hop star, 50 Cent, to use the title of the book for a new film he is producing.
Online sources indicated on Monday that 50 Cent had initially titled the movie, Things Fall Apart, a move that Achebe swiftly kicked against.
According to a source, the producers of the film offered the revered writer $1 million but he declined the offer.
As a result, he has changed the title to All Things Fall Apart.
“The novel with the said title was first produced in 1958 (17 years before 50cent was born), listed as the most widely read book in modern African literature, and will not be sold for One Billion Dollars,” the source quotes a statement attributed to Achebe’s legal counsel.
According to PopEater the movie was “written by 50 Cent – whose real name is Curtis Jackson - is loosely based on the life of his childhood best friend. In the movie, the rapper-turned-actor goes from a dread-locked NFL hopeful to an emaciated cancer victim,
It stars Ray Liotta alongside 50 Cent, and is directed by Mario Van Peebles, who also appears in the movie.
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