Madonna Biopic Canceled by Universal Over Budget Disputes

A planned Madonna biopic has been scrapped by Universal Pictures after two years of development, with the singer citing budget disagreements.

Madonna revealed the cancellation in an interview with Interview magazine, explaining that she required a substantial budget for her life story and would not settle for an amount typical for an independent film. She even proposed filming in Serbia to cut costs, but the studio reportedly doubted her ability to stay there for an extended period.

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I've lived a big life, so I need a big budget.

"I've lived a big life, so I need a big budget," Madonna stated, emphasizing her refusal to compromise on the film's scope. She recounted asking the studio if they had read the script, asserting, "My whole life has been a struggle."

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Did you read the script? My whole life has been a struggle.

Variety reported that the film was intended to chronicle Madonna's journey from her hometown in Michigan to her breakthrough in New York during the 1980s, culminating with the success of her 1998 album "Ray of Light." The project's shelving means Madonna cannot use the script she developed with Universal for a new Netflix biographical series, which is now moving forward. She expressed frustration that she would have to buy back her own script at an "exorbitant price."

With the biopic project abandoned and the Netflix series stalled, Madonna has shifted her focus to a follow-up to her 2005 hit album "Confessions on a Dance Floor." Titled "Confessions II," the new album is set for release on July 3rd via Warner Records. Madonna described the new work as a return to her disco and club roots, with some tracks celebrating the redemptive power of club culture, while others delve into darker themes like family trauma and loss.

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It's good that I had another job waiting, because I have to create all the time. I was put on this earth to create things.