This project has no connection with the Amy Adams-Janis Joplin project that had been in development since 2010 and got cancelled in January 2017. Producer Peter Newman has been trying to tell Joplin's story for over 20 years. Newman has the rights to 21 of Joplin's songs, in addition to her work with the Big Brother and the Holding Company, the first band Joplin led. The producer also got his hands on the rights to the letter collection, "Love, Janis", David Dalton's biography "Peace of My Heart", hundreds of hours interviews, and three appearances by Joplin on the Dick Cavett show.
In 1999, Lili Taylor was originally set to play Joplin, but the film never got off the ground.. P!nk was cast in the leading role in 2004, when Penelope Spheeris was attached to direct. Zooey Deschanel was cast in 2006, but in 2011, five years after signing on, Deschanel formally announced that the film would not be happening. In 2012, when Sean Durkin signed up to direct, Nina Arianda was attached to star in the film that was set to start shooting in 2013. Michelle Williams was then signed up to play Janis in October 2016, but then-attached director Sean Durkin was never able to get on the same page with the producers of the film.