You’ve seen the wig. You’ve seen the shimmy. You definitely remember the scene in the limo where things go south.
When people talk about the Tina Turner biopic movie, they’re almost always talking about the 1993 powerhouse What’s Love Got to Do with It. It’s a film that didn't just tell a story; it basically burned itself into the collective consciousness of the 90s. Angela Bassett didn’t just play Tina. She became a force of nature. Honestly, there are moments in that movie where you forget you’re watching an actress and not the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll herself.
But here’s the thing. A lot of what we "know" about Tina Turner’s life is actually just movie magic.
Hollywood has a way of smoothing out the rough edges of reality to make a better script. While the film was based on her 1986 autobiography, I, Tina, the directors took some pretty massive liberties. If you’re looking for a 100% factual documentary, this isn't it. It’s a drama. It’s meant to make you feel. And man, does it feel heavy.
The Reality Behind the Script
Let’s get into the weeds of what actually happened versus what ended up on screen.
In the Tina Turner biopic movie, the timeline is a bit of a mess. For example, the movie shows Tina finding out about her name change while she’s in a hospital bed after giving birth. In real life? The song "A Fool in Love" was already out and climbing the charts months before she even had her son. Ike Turner didn't wait for a Hallmark moment to rebranding her—he just did it.
He was a businessman, albeit a brutal one.
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Speaking of Ike, Laurence Fishburne played him with a terrifying, magnetic intensity. But even Ike had thoughts on how he was portrayed. In his own book, Takin' Back My Name, he claimed some of the most famous scenes—like the studio rape or the backstage gun confrontation—never happened. Now, we have to take his word with a massive grain of salt, considering his history. But Tina herself eventually admitted she had a complicated relationship with the film. She even told Oprah back in 2018 that she only watched parts of it because the changes were so drastic.
She felt the movie made her look too much like a victim.
Tina wanted to be seen as a survivor who was thinking and planning the whole time she was in that house. She wasn't just a passenger in her own tragedy. She was a strategist.
Angela Bassett’s Impossible Task
Can we talk about the training for a second?
Angela Bassett had exactly one month to prep for this. One. Month.
Imagine having four weeks to master those iconic dance moves, the gravelly speaking voice, and the sheer physical stamina it takes to be Tina Turner. She was doing literal "circles around the other girls," as some critics put it. It was grueling. Bassett actually fractured her hand during the filming of the first domestic abuse sequence. She fell off a sofa, put her hands out to break the fall, and snap.
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She kept going.
The vocals you hear in the movie are actually Tina Turner herself. Angela lip-synced to the 1993 re-recordings, but Laurence Fishburne actually sang Ike’s parts. It’s a weird mix of authenticity and performance that somehow works perfectly.
Why there isn't a "New" Biopic (Yet)
Since Tina’s passing in 2023, people have been scouring the trades for news of a remake or a "part two."
As of right now, there isn't a new scripted Tina Turner biopic movie in production for 2026. What we do have is the 2021 HBO documentary, TINA, which served as her final word on her legacy. It’s a much more somber, reflective look at her life. It fills in the gaps that the 1993 movie left wide open—like her relationship with her first son, Craig, and the reality of her later years in Switzerland with Erwin Bach.
Rights are also a huge factor here.
In 2021, Tina sold her entire catalog, along with the rights to her name, image, and likeness, to BMG. This was a massive deal, estimated at around $50 million. Any future movie would have to go through them. Right now, the "Tina" brand is focused on the stage musical, which is touring heavily through 2026.
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The musical is actually what Tina considered the most "accurate" version of her story.
What You Should Watch Instead of Just the Movie
If you want the full picture, you kinda have to consume everything.
- Watch the 1993 film for the emotional core and Angela Bassett’s Oscar-nominated performance.
- Watch the 2021 HBO documentary to see the real woman behind the "Survivor" label.
- Listen to the "Private Dancer" album while reading her second memoir, My Love Story.
The movie is great, but it’s a snapshot. It stops essentially when she hits her big comeback in the 80s. It doesn't show the 30+ years of peace she found afterward, which is arguably the most important part of her journey.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of the Tina Turner biopic movie or her life in general, start here:
- Check out the 2026 Tour: TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is hitting major cities like Lincoln, Nebraska, and Hollywood this year. It uses a script by Katori Hall that adds layers the 1993 movie missed.
- Read "I, Tina": This is the source material. It's grittier and less "Hollywood" than the film.
- Verify the Facts: Don't take the movie's timeline as gospel. Use the HBO documentary to cross-reference the major life events, especially regarding her children.
Tina's story is about more than just the abuse she suffered; it's about the decades she spent owning her own name. The movie gave her that name back in the public eye, but the real Tina Turner was far more complex than a two-hour runtime could ever capture.
Next Step: You can look up the 2026 tour schedule for the Tina Turner Musical in your specific city to see the story live.