Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Madonna says a “falling out” with Universal Pictures over budget meant that her biopic never went into production.
The Queen of Pop was on board to co-write and direct the film, with Julia Garner cast in the lead role, but explained that the project never came to fruition because she demanded that Universal grant her a “big budget” for the project.
Madonna told Interview Magazine: “I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on the script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting.
“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. You know what I mean?”
The Like a Prayer hitmaker explained that Universal “couldn’t get their heads around” the budget required to make the biopic and that she even tried to reduce costs by finding “a way to make it for less money in Serbia”.
Madonna, 67, said: “Maybe they just didn’t believe me. One of their first reactions was, ‘We don’t believe you’d stay in Serbia more than four days.’ And I said, ‘Did you read the script?’ My whole life had been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday.
“But anyway, I was in limbo when that fell apart, and then Netflix reached out to make a series. That was a whole other long process, because I couldn’t use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionist’s price, even though I wrote it. Don’t ask.”
The Material Girl singer continued: “That’s just the way it goes.
“I started trying to understand how making a series would work. It’s a very, very different process. You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn’t find one.
“This went for another eight or nine months. I was like, ‘Good thing I have another job because I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this earth to do.'”
Madonna had previously teased the prospect of turning her biopic into a TV series.
She wrote on Instagram in 2024: “After struggling for days in LA, listening to producers and agents tell me why I couldn’t make my film — (I’ve been working on it for 4 years!!!) downsize- down scale – think smaller – they say — I realised that everything in my life is going to be challenged.
“No easy rides for me. I guess I should be grateful… It forces me to think outside the box. I did not have a normal life.
“I cannot make this in the normal way… Spending time with my creative friends was just the fuel I needed to keep going!
“We all agreed that we need to be even more fearless!!! Art = Survival. We cannot shrink and make ourselves smaller.
“If you want something badly enough in life – the whole universe will conspire to help you get it. Should I make the story of my life into a series or a feature film? Think before you answer!! (sic)”
