Madonna. Photo by RIcardo Gomes.
The long-awaited Madonna biopic directed by Madge herself is no longer moving forward at Universal Pictures, Variety reports. No specific reason for the film’s shelving was given. Sources told Variety that Madonna is dedicating her focus to her just-announced world tour, though she intends to return to the film in the future.
First announced in 2020, the Madonna biopic attracted attention for the scope of the project, the names attached to its starring roles, and Madge’s intention to write and direct the film herself. “There’s nobody on this planet that can write or direct and make a movie about me better than me,” she told Jimmy Fallon in 2021. Last year in Variety, she said, “I have a very long script that is really hard for me to make shorter. I’ve been whittling away at it, but it’s like hacking off my limbs.” Screenwriters Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson each worked with Madonna on the film’s script.
Julia Garner, the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning star of Ozark, was cast as Madonna in June 2022, beating out actresses including Florence Pugh, Euphoria‘s Alexa Demie, Odessa Young, and Emma Laird. Sky Ferriera was reportedly also considered at one point.
