LOS ANGELES: Pop icon Madonna has revealed for the first time why her long-planned biopic was ultimately shelved, ending years of speculation surrounding the high-profile project.
In a recent interview, the singer said work on the film continued for nearly four years. According to Madonna, the first two years were devoted to writing the script, while the following two focused on budgeting, casting and other pre-production work.
She said the project was eventually abandoned because of disagreements over financing and the scale of the production.
“My life has been filled with extraordinary experiences and struggles, and telling that story properly required a substantial budget,” Madonna said. She added that the production company was not fully comfortable with the project’s cost and scope, preventing it from moving forward.
Madonna said filming the movie in Serbia was considered as a way to reduce expenses, but the studio was unconvinced by the proposal. Over time, she said, she began to feel that the studio lacked confidence in her creative vision.
After her agreement with Universal Pictures ended, Netflix expressed interest in adapting the story into a television series rather than a feature film. However, legal and financial complications also hampered that effort.
Madonna said reclaiming the rights to the script developed with Universal would have required a significant financial investment, forcing the project to start over. She added that the search for a suitable showrunner for the proposed series lasted several months but failed to produce a breakthrough.
The biopic was acquired by Universal Pictures in 2021 after a competitive bidding process. Madonna was attached as co-writer and director, and actress Julia Garner was cast in the lead role in 2022.
Despite years of preparation, the project has yet to come to fruition.
