Madonna says biopic was shelved after budget dispute

NEW YORK

Pop icon Madonna has revealed that her long-planned biographical film was scrapped after a dispute with Universal Pictures over the project’s budget, saying the studio did not share her vision for telling the story of her life.

Speaking in an interview, the singer said she spent two years writing the screenplay and working with producers on budgeting and casting before negotiations with the studio broke down.

“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,” Madonna said.

The singer explained that she even proposed moving production to Serbia to reduce costs, but claimed the studio doubted her willingness to remain there for filming. She rejected the suggestion, saying her life story was one of survival rather than luxury.

The film was first announced in 2020, with Madonna attached to direct a screenplay she initially co-wrote with Diablo Cody before later revisions. Emmy-winning actress Julia Garner was cast to portray the pop star after an extensive audition process. However, reports emerged in 2023 that the project had been shelved.

Madonna also disclosed that she later explored adapting her life story into a Netflix series, but the effort stalled because Universal retained the rights to the screenplay. She said buying back the script would have been prohibitively expensive.