Madonna explains why her Universal biopic was scrapped, citing budget issues

Pop superstar Madonna has revealed the reasons behind the shelving of her long-planned biopic, which was set to be produced by Universal Pictures. The "Like a Prayer" singer explained that significant disagreements over the budget ultimately led to the project's demise after nearly two years of development.

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I had to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the executive producers to manage the budget and casting.

In an interview with Interview magazine, Madonna, 67, stated, "I had to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the executive producers to manage the budget and casting." She elaborated that the core issue was financial: "We fell out with Universal about the budget because I needed... I had an incredible life, so I needed a big budget." The studio, she felt, did not fully embrace her vision for depicting her "incredible life."

Madonna reportedly attempted to mitigate costs by suggesting filming in Serbia, but this proposal did not sway the studio. "I don't think they were thrilled... Maybe they just didn't believe in me," she mused, recalling a comment from the studio suggesting she wouldn't stay in Serbia for more than four days, a remark she found perplexing given her commitment to the project.

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We fell out with Universal about the budget because I needed… I had an incredible life, so I needed a big budget.

According to Variety, the abandoned film was intended to chronicle Madonna's journey from her early days in Michigan through her rise to fame in the 1980s and up to the release of her 1998 album "Ray of Light." However, the project has now shifted gears, with Netflix reportedly developing a new series about the pop icon.

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I don't think they were thrilled… Maybe they just didn't believe in me.

This new venture involves a collaboration with producer and director Shawn Levy, known for his work on "Stranger Things." Madonna indicated that this series represents a completely fresh start, as she could not reuse the script developed with Universal without incurring prohibitive costs. "I started trying to figure out how a series worked. That took another eight or nine months," she shared, adding that she needs to work due to her passion for it.

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They told me: 'We don't think you'd stay in Serbia for more than four days.' I told them: 'Have you read the script?' I'm not going there for a vacation.