The Madonna biopic will no longer be moving forward. The singer and songwriter known as the Queen of Pop, Madonna, first truly tasted the beginning of her unprecedented rise to success in 1983 when she published her first solo album to massive acclaim. From there, after a few more releases, she branched out into acting, giving another opportunity for her to continue her ascent in Hollywood as she became a mainstream figure. After claiming the title of best-selling woman artist of all time, Madonna is a force in and of herself and stands alone at the top.

Creating a Madonna biopic was no question at all, especially after the success of the biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which portrayed a fictitious relationship between Madonna and Weird Al Yankovic. Yet, while the anticipated upcoming movie seemed like a natural next step for Madonna's career, the project has abruptly been canceled, according to Variety. More interested in pursuing her world tour than directing a movie, Madonna no longer wishes to move forward with the film, though she hopes to try to attempt a biopic again in the future.

Everything We Know About The Cancelled Madonna Biopic


Announced in 2020, Madonna has been on a steady track to release, making this sudden cancelation so shocking. With Martha Marcy May Marlene actor Julia Garner set to star in Madonna, the project seemed set for success. Garner would play Madonna through her early years onward, allowing seeing Madonna's entire life story condensed into a few short hours. Given that Madonna is a more serious figure than Weird Al Yankovic, the project likely would have also been a serious look at the events of her life rather than a fictionalized affair.

Two separate drafts of the movie script have been written with Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning Juno, and Young Adult writer, attempting the first script and Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train) taking a second pass at the project. If Madonna thought that the Madonna movie would fail, it would not have been her first failed movie, as Madonna's W.E. flopped even during filming, so it makes some sense that she would step aside. Madonna worked closely with the writers to ensure the accuracy and intentions of the piece remained true. Yet, it seems that she didn't necessarily like what she saw if she dismantled the project entirely.

Sara Zambreno (A League of Our Own) and Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, were meant to serve as executive producers of a project that had painful production requirements. At one point, Florence Pugh (Black Widow), Alexa Demie (Euphoria), Odessa Young (The Stand), and composer Bebe Rexha (Bright) were all competing for a part in the project, which made audition sessions intense. Madonna auditions were 11-hour boot camp affairs with actors required to practice choreography and return for singing and dancing sessions regularly. Unfortunately, their effort has gone to waste, as Madonna has officially been scrapped.