TL;DR
- Madonna’s biopic faced budget disputes with Universal.
- She spent years developing the project herself.
- The film was set to star Julia Garner.
- Ownership issues led to further complications.
- A new Netflix series is in the works.
Madonna, the Queen of Pop and a cultural icon, has once again found herself in the spotlight, but this time it’s not for her chart-topping hits or groundbreaking performances. Instead, it’s about the collapse of her long-anticipated biopic. Speaking candidly to Interview Magazine, Madonna opened up about the drama that unfolded behind the scenes, revealing that a dispute over the budget with Universal Pictures was the nail in the coffin for the project.
Initially announced in 2020, Madonna had grand plans to tell her own story after a series of unauthorized attempts to depict her life on screen. “I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years,” she explained, emphasizing the immense effort she poured into the project. However, the road to cinematic glory was anything but smooth. “We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed—I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?”
With a working title of Who’s That Girl, the film was set to star the talented Julia Garner, who had gone through rigorous auditions that included singing and dancing boot camps. But alas, the project fell victim to the infamous Hollywood budget battles. As if that wasn’t enough, Madonna’s attempts to pivot to a television series were met with more challenges. “I was in limbo when that fell apart,” she lamented, noting that Netflix reached out to her for a series adaptation. However, complications arose regarding the ownership of the original screenplay, which she had penned herself.
“I couldn’t use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price,” she said, rolling her eyes at the absurdity of the situation. “It’s a very, very different process. You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn’t find one.” The saga continued for another eight or nine months, leaving Madonna feeling frustrated yet determined. “Good thing I have another job because I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this earth to do.”
Despite the setbacks, it seems Madonna’s life story is still destined for the screen. Reports emerged in May 2025 that she has teamed up with Deadpool and Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy for a new limited series on Netflix. This project is separate from the abandoned Universal film and is still in early development. While details remain scarce, it’s rumored that Julia Garner is still in the running for the lead role, ensuring that Madonna’s story will eventually be told, even if it took a few detours along the way.
So, while the biopic may have gone up in smoke, the fire of Madonna’s creative spirit continues to burn bright. Stay tuned for what’s next from this unstoppable force in the entertainment world.