Melanie Chisholm, known as Sporty Spice, has announced that the Spice Girls now fully own the rights to their 1997 film Spice World. The cult classic is expected to return to streaming platforms in the "not too distant future," she revealed on the Louis Theroux Podcast.
Spice Girls Regain Control of Film
Chisholm, 52, explained that the film had been unavailable because ownership was fragmented among multiple parties. "It's not available at the moment. It will be, because there were a lot of people that owned it. It was kind of all over the place. So we've had to come together," she said. "The Spice Girls now fully own it, so we will be presenting it at some point in hopefully the not too distant future for people to enjoy."
About the Film
Spice World starred Chisholm alongside bandmates Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, and Emma Bunton. The comedy musical features fictionalised versions of the group preparing for a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It is known for its absurd scenarios, including Lady Beckham driving a bus with a bomb over an opening Tower Bridge. The film includes cameos from Sir Elton John, Meat Loaf, Sir Roger Moore, Elvis Costello, Sir Stephen Fry, Richard E Grant, and Jools Holland. Flashbacks and dream sequences depict the group's dissatisfaction with fame and a smear campaign they face.
Band Dynamics and Leadership
Chisholm praised Halliwell and Brown for their leadership, crediting them with the band's success. "If it wasn't for Geri and Melanie being the way that they are, we wouldn't have been as successful as we were," she said. She noted that Halliwell, being older, was "incredible" at pushing things forward, while Brown had more dance experience. However, their strong personalities sometimes caused tension. "What was difficult for us was that Melanie and Geri were really great mates, but if they had a fallout, it would affect everybody," Chisholm added.
Self-Policing and Lasting Friendship
The group maintained harmony through "self-policing," according to Chisholm. "We were really good at self-policing. It was tough sometimes because we were really hard on each other. Not hard on each other in a mean way, but just like if someone was acting up a little bit, we'd just pull them back into the fold." She said this approach "saved us in the long term" and expressed pride that the bandmates have remained friends. "We've had our ups and downs, but no-one's gone completely off the rails at any point really."
The full interview is available on the Louis Theroux Podcast.
