Legal row brews over Tupac biopic

Shakur appeared in a number of films before his death aged 25

The mother of Tupac Shakur is suing a production company over the rights to make a biopic about the slain rapper.

Afeni Shakur says independent producers Morgan Creek tried to force her into a deal and, when she went elsewhere, tried to sabotage the project.

Morgan Creek filed their own legal case last month, claiming Shakur backed out of a completed deal over the rights to her son's life story.

Shakur was shot dead in 1996 but is still a best-selling artist.

In the $10m (£7m) claim, Afeni Shakur's company, Amaru Entertainment, accuses Morgan Creek of "concocting a nonexistent 'agreement' and engaging in heavy-handed threats, coercion and intimidation."

In Morgan Creek's own court action, the company said it had received a proposal from Amaru in December 2008 detailing everything that would be required to reach an agreement.

Morgan Creek claims Amaru has since refused to honour the deal.

Amaru, which was due to file its case on Monday morning, wants the court to rule that there was never a deal and that Morgan Creek was one of a group of several companies bidding for the film rights.

Notorious, the rap biopic of Tupac's friend-turned-rival Biggie Smalls made $20m (£14.2m) in its opening weekend in the US earlier in the year.