Madonna explains “falling out” behind axed Universal biopic: “I needed a big budget”
Madonna has explained that her planned biopic from Universal was axed due to a “falling out” she had with the company, owing to her budgetary concerns.
The Queen of Pop first unveiled plans for a movie biopic of her life, with Julia Garner in the lead role, as far back as 2020. However, three years later, when no plans had materialised, it was eventually scrapped.
Subsequently, Madonna has now opened up about the reasons for this in a new discussion with Interview Magazine, in which she claimed that her relationship with the studio broke down after they would not commit to her vision of a large budget.
“I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on my 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,” she said.
Going on to explain her personal thoughts on the film, the iconic pop star added: “I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?”
Noting that Universal seemingly “couldn’t get their heads around” the need for such a big financial investment, Madonna said that she offered to make the movie in Serbia, which she claimed would be cheaper than Hollywood.
“Maybe they just didn’t believe in me,” she mused, before continuing, “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.”
However, despite the ‘Like A Prayer’ singer then striking up a deal with Netflix and director Shawn Levy to create a biopic series, this also fell through. Madonna said these failed projects led her towards her new album, as “I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this Earth to do.”
This has resulted in the impending release of Madonna’s latest record, Confessions on a Dancefloor II, which is slated for July 3rd.
Serving as a follow-up to her iconic 2005 album Confessions on a Dancefloor, which featured hits like ‘Hung Up’, the singer has already revealed new singles in the form of ‘Love Sensation’, ‘I Feel So Free’, and ‘Bring Your Love’, featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
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