Madonna's Biopic Blocked: Queen of Pop Blames Universal Over 'Big Budget' Needs

Pop icon Madonna has candidly discussed the demise of her planned biopic, 'Who's That Girl', revealing a significant 'falling out' with Universal Studios over budget constraints. The project, which began development in 2020 and had actress Julia Garner attached to star as the Queen of Pop, saw Madonna herself at the helm, writing and directing her own life story.

In an interview with Interview Magazine, the 67-year-old superstar explained her extensive involvement: "I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting." She elaborated on the core issue, stating, "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? It’s not going be an [indie film]."

Madonna further shared attempts to reduce costs, including proposing to shoot in Serbia, but felt the studio wasn't receptive. "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 has been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday."

Feeling "in limbo" after the project with Universal fell apart, Madonna revealed that Netflix subsequently reached out to develop a series. However, this new venture comes with its own set of challenges. She stated she couldn't use the script she had painstakingly developed for Universal unless she bought it back from them at an "extortionist’s price." Despite this hurdle, she's now reworking her story for the streaming giant, acknowledging that developing a bio-series for Netflix is a "very, very different process."

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