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Matt Zane has issued a new statement indicating that he has received a cease and desist order concerning his forthcoming documentary about the final years of Static-X vocalist and guitarist Wayne Static, as well as his wife, Tera Wray. Zane, known for his roles in Society 1 and the adult entertainment sector, had previously collaborated with Wayne multiple times before his death in 2014, and with Wray prior to her passing in 2016, as per theprp.
His unauthorized documentary has faced direct opposition from the families of Static and Wray, who have stated they will pursue legal action if Zane proceeds with the project. Despite this, Zane initiated a crowdfunding campaign for the documentary last week.
I understand the family’s concerns, especially Wayne’s sister Aimee who is a wonderful person, but my obligation isn’t to the families — it’s to Wayne and Tera. They asked me to do this, and I know they would want the focus to be on the two of them.
In connection with the project, Zane disclosed that he possesses six unreleased songs created in collaboration with Wayne Static, which he considered repurposing for the film using artificial intelligence. He claimed these tracks, completed in 2013, contain Wayne’s vocals and songwriting concepts.
Given the families’ objections, it appears unlikely that they will authorize the use of these tracks without modifications. A statement shared on Zane’s social media on December 14th confirmed that he had been served with a cease and desist order by the families.
Wayne Static Estate Issues Cease and Desist to Matt Zane — He Vows: “This Won’t Stop Me”
The estate and family of late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static have issued a cease and desist letter to filmmaker Matt Zane, following their recent public statement in which they “strenuously object” to Zane’s announcement of an unauthorized documentary focusing on Wayne Static and his wife, Tera Wray.
The legal notice arrived just days after the family made clear they were prepared to take action to halt any unapproved production. In a statement, the families said, “We are not interested in the further development of any unauthorized biography or documentary…”
Zane, however, remains defiant.
“This won’t stop me. I’m ready and willing to take this as far as it goes. If it ends up in court, so be it. This movie will be made and released if it’s the last thing that I do,” said Zane.
Zane has also questioned why his project has been singled out when multiple unauthorized documentaries about Wayne Static already exist online.
“If you go to YouTube right now you’ll see multiple unauthorized documentaries about Wayne Static with hundreds of thousands of views. None of them were threatened with legal action. I’m the only one served with a cease and desist letter — and I haven’t even started production yet. Why am I being singled out?” Zane stated.
“Since this all started, it made me remember something Wayne told me once that’s helped me stay focused. I actually searched to see if I still had the email so I could relay it properly,” said Zane.
According to Zane, Wayne Static wrote:
“I’ve always felt people are too dumb to understand what’s really going on around us. It seems like you share that feeling.”
As tensions escalate, the dispute appears far from over. Whether resolved privately or in court, Zane insists the documentary will move forward — setting the stage for a highly publicized clash between an artist’s estate and a filmmaker claiming to honor his late friend’s legacy.
