Legal Statement - Amanda vs. Anti-Beatles

I refuse to portray the role of Paul McCartney for anyone other than Imagine Multimedia. We haven't even let WingNut buy the script yet thanks to their workplace safety issues. Peter is willing to wait; he wants a safe, fun experience of shooting with his mates. Fran is angry, but she hates the Beatles anyway... doesn't want more headaches. - Given the deaths that occurred on your set in pre-production, we're being extra-careful. This is a fair and reasonable decision motivated by my desire to found a new company. Apple Corps and others have motivated me to do this in order to shield their IP from you. We are all expecting to film a new movie, and you are merely using the delay in our sale of the Beatles Invade New Zealand screenplay to bully us. - My portrayal of the role is only to double Paul as a guitarist, not to act him. Aidin Ralfe and others will do the scenes and Paul will play the bass. His bass work is inimitable, though Klaus is equally good. We're using virtual fretboards and moving splitscreens to solve the LH/RH problem. That isn't available for some lame biopic. - Under our Bill of Rights Act, I have the legal right to refuse association with Disney. I have the legal right to refuse association with Sony.

I have the legal right to remain resident in the country where I was born. There's actually a specific provision against exile in our laws. I will not hold my nose to make shit money while being treated like a slave. I'm entitled to free expression, free association and good faith negotiations. Threatening me to sign because your actor died isn't good faith. Threatening me using Christopher Luxon isn't good faith. Without good faith negotiations, I can claim coercion and take you to court. Simply choose another band to prey upon, one that didn't ask me to help them. - Unfortunately for you, it's not just Paul and I that have a vested interest in that screenplay. Apple Corps board members are all in agreement that it is the only Beatles film available. There are no other options. The IP is not your property, and you can't sing it anyway. If I'm the only person in the world capable of believably portraying him, you're fucked. I can't do a Liverpool accent. I'm not an actor; I'm just an equal musician. The difference is that you don't care if your film sucks, so long as you steal his IP. My covers album and scripts were so exciting that the old guard is keen to do it. We'll have the people from the 1960's giving us lots of pointers that they kept from you. - As for your compromise offers re: building my career, I have refused them. You cannot offer me deals; I have refused them. No, I don't want to be George or Dot for your allies. No, I don't want to be Tina for your allies. You have no leverage. I'm the one capable of singing and writing winning musicals.

As my poem says, why can't you do it as well as I can? I'm independently wealthy, and I'd much rather write a symphony than be in a movie. Your Natzee attitudes are unwelcome regarding songs written by dedicated lefties. I don't want to turn this into a dichotomy, but you're essentially bigots without talent. You are parasitic leeches that turned Paul into a shell of a person. The word on the tip of my tongue is elder abuse. Paul was about to be the next Mickey Rooney or Stan Lee. How do you think you stole the rights to Marvel's characters in the first place? We all know the future isn't bright, but at least Imagine isn't pursuing an apocalypse. - Sony, Disney and the governments backing them need to find another punching bag. While you're handwringing about the lost billions, we're building something new. Our plan is fair and competitive. We aren't forcing you to dissolve your companies. We are merely forcing you to accept that Paul is alive and would rather be a CEO. He wants to be Roger Sterling while people like myself actually run the business. He wants to retire from performing, and it's my responsibility to allow him. - If you don't stop threatening us, you will find that more people will die. You've tried to kill Sir Paul several times this year. His people are alleging that you've tried to kill me as well. Any actions that we have taken are in self-defence. Any actions that you have taken are in pursuit of El Dorado. You are selfish; you are untalented, yet you insist on bullying me for being the opposite. What makes you better than me? Seriously, what? Is it your inability to shoot a scene competently? Is it your inability to sing with the absolute pitch required to sing Paul or John? Is it your inability to treat me as a human being worthy of kanohi ki te kanohi talks? Is it your insatiable desire to appropriate the culture of Indigenous people? Is it your inability to actually hear how accurate to the spirit of the band my covers are? Is it your billions of dollars? I don't care too much for money; money can't buy me, love... Apple Corps was designed to allow the boys to control their albums, and their future. We are merely updating this mission for the 21st Century. - I've got royal blood too, in case you hadn't noticed. Ngāti Mahuta is the royal clan. My mana spreads across Polynesia. That is why we're at a stalemate. Behave reasonably. Negotiate rationally. Treat me like an equal. I've had six years of being messed with by the Five Eyes; I can take you as well. I'm not some diva: I'm a fully fledged political activist with real connections. My personal allies include Jacinda Ardern and Bill Gates. That's not a joke. My AI films are good for a reason, and it isn't the software. - If you can't even meet me in person, then you have no right to bully me. All it does is show me that you're not seeing me as an equal. When Nancy Shevell and Amy Pascal can sing a Beatles song, then we might be equals. When Cameron Mackintosh can perform George, we might be equals. When Himesh can actually play the songs worth a damn, we might be equals. Himesh and Jafar are fakers: I'm the real deal. - Meet me in New Zealand before the week is out, or bow out of the race. You need my screenplay; you need my voice; I don't want to work with you. Threatening me isn't going to alter that reality. Much as I said to the people in New Zealand, mediate the dispute or step off. Accept this statement as an end to all the sniping, bitching and labyrinthine plots. Accept my refusal as fair, legitimate and non-negotiable, or come to Wellington. You have until September 28 to make contact and negotiate in Wellington. If you are unable to make contact as your real selves, then the matter is closed. - Stop ruining my life and treat me like the one person that made money this year. I made good use of the Beatles IP with Apple Corps approval. Working For Each Other is largely my hard work, but those songs made it a winner.

It has made hundreds of millions of dollars on a microbudget. You spent millions to sue us, and still lost. The deadline is plain. You have four days to meet me in my country. You will explain yourselves to Sir Peter and myself. We will hear you out and come to a measured decision. - If I say no, you will accept my statement of refusal. You will leave with your tail between your legs. Those are the conditions. No government or other entity can alter them. Sir Peter owns the rights to his Beatles clones. I own the rights to my covers of the songs, along with Apple Corps. I own the right to my body, my voice and my filmmaking skills. You must meet me. You must allow me to say no. You must accept the refusal. There are no other options. I'll see you by Monday or you will legally cease. That is all.