Madonna confirmed in an interview with Interview magazine that her planned biopic was halted after disagreements over budget and production requirements. Universal Pictures had previously developed the project, with Julia Garner attached to play Madonna.
For years, Madonna’s planned biopic remained one of Hollywood’s most talked-about projects. Multiple producers were linked to the film, development continued for years, and several major studios showed interest. Yet the project never reached production.
Now, Madonna has explained why the film ultimately failed to move forward. According to the singer, the main obstacle was a disagreement over the budget needed to tell her life story properly.
In a recent interview with Interview magazine, Madonna said her life and career were too expansive to be portrayed on a limited budget.
“My life was extraordinary. A very big life. So a big budget was needed,” she said. Four Years of Work Ended Without a Film
Madonna revealed that the project required nearly four years of development. About two years were spent writing the script, followed by another two years of pre-production.
During that time, she worked closely with Universal Pictures on casting, planning and budgeting. To reduce costs, Madonna even suggested filming in Serbia. However, she said studio executives were not convinced.
Recalling one conversation, Madonna said an executive told her, “We don't believe you can stay in Serbia for more than four days.”
She responded by pointing to the script, saying her life story was about struggle and survival, not luxury.
Looking back, Madonna believes the studio may not have fully shared her vision for the project. Netflix Explored a New Version
After the Universal deal collapsed, Netflix reportedly considered adapting Madonna’s life story as a television series.
However, new complications emerged. Madonna explained that using the script developed with Universal would have required buying it back at what she described as an unreasonable price.
As a result, she would have needed to restart the project from scratch, including finding a showrunner and developing a new production plan. After several more months of work, that version also failed to move ahead. Julia Garner Was Chosen to Play Madonna
Universal Pictures secured the rights to the biopic in 2021 after competing with several other studios.
Madonna was set to direct and co-write the film herself. In 2022, actress Julia Garner won the lead role following an extensive audition process.
The film was expected to follow Madonna’s journey from her childhood in Michigan to her early struggles in New York during the 1980s. It would also have covered key milestones in her music career, including the release of her 1998 album Ray of Light. A Madonna Series Is Still in Development
Although the movie has been canceled, Madonna’s story may still reach audiences in another format.
A series based on her life remains in development under a Netflix agreement with producer Shawn Levy. However, there has been no indication that Julia Garner will participate in that version.
Interestingly, Madonna and Garner recently worked together on the second season of The Studio, which includes a fictional storyline involving a Madonna biopic, with Garner portraying the pop icon.
Madonna has long expressed a desire to bring her life story to the screen. While the film version never materialized, the possibility of seeing her journey adapted in another form remains open.
