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The Madonna biopic, which was reported to be directed by the Queen of Pop herself, has been scrapped. The film was supposed to star Julia Garner as the pop star who had to go through a tough audition process to land the role.
Julia Garner is best known for her starring role as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix crime drama series Ozark, for which she received critical acclaim and won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019, 2020, and 2022, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2023.
She also starred in the FX drama series The Americans, Netflix miniseries Maniac, Bravo true crime series Dirty John and the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna.
Why was the Madonna biopic canceled?
The film had been in development since 2020 with Universal Pictures and was supposed to be titled Little Sparrow, following Madonna’s four-decade career spanning music, cinema, and fashion.
Last Tuesday, Variety reported that the project got shelved after the pop star's global tour announcement last week. Tickets in New York, Paris, and London sold out within minutes. This will be her 12th world tour where she will perform across 40 cities.
But an unnamed source told the Hollywood Reporter that the biopic's cancelation had been decided late last year itself, long before the tour was announced. Nothing has been said about this news from Universal, nor from representatives for the singer or Julia Garner.
Apparently, she is still determined to make the film despite Universal dropping the project, according to Variety.
In 2020, she said:
"I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer – a human being, trying to make her way in this world,
She continued:
"There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the rollercoaster ride of my life with my voice and vision."
The development process of the biopic made headlines for its tiring casting process, which came to be known as “Madonna bootcamp”. It involved 11-hour days of choreography, as well as readings and singing auditions in front of the Queen of Pop and her casting director.
Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, Bebe Rexha, and Sky Ferreira were previously considered. Madonna has previously been credited with directing movies like Filth, Wisdom, and W.E.
A brief look at Madonna's career
Born on August 16, 1958, Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer-songwriter and actress, often dubbed the "Queen of Pop". Her work has covered social, political, sexual, and religious themes and has received controversial as well as critical acclaim.
She has even appeared in films like Desperately Seeking Susan, Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own, and Evita, which even won her a Golden Globe award for Best Actress.
Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time and has sold over 300 million records worldwide, becoming the most successful solo artist in U.S. history.
The popstar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. She was ranked as the greatest woman in music by VH1, and as the greatest music video artist ever by MTV and Billboard. Rolling Stone also listed her among its greatest artists and greatest songwriters of all time.
