Madonna biopic shelved over budget

Pop icon Madonna has revealed that a disagreement over budget with Hollywood studio Universal Pictures led to the collapse of her planned biographical film. The singer-songwriter was attached to co-write and direct the project, which would have chronicled her rise from Michigan to global stardom.

Madonna, who delivered chart-topping hits such as Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Vogue, Like a Prayer and Hung Up, said she spent nearly two years developing the screenplay and working with the studio on casting and budgeting before the film was shelved.

“I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting,” Madonna told Interview magazine. “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,” she added.

The project was officially announced in 2021 after Universal won a competitive auction. Over the years, it attracted several high-profile collaborators, including screenwriters Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson.