The Madonna biopic movie receives an update from star Julia Garner after initial cancellation reports. The project was first announced in 2020 and has gone through two different scripts by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody and Cressida Wilson. In 2022, the Madonna biopic cast Julia Garner as the pop icon after beating out several stars in an extensive audition process.

The upcoming biopic will be directed by Madonna herself, but in 2023, the project was reportedly scrapped as the singer embarked on her career-spanning world tour. At the time, the project was reportedly no longer in development at Universal, and while Madonna’s priority was her tour, she remained committed to making a movie about her life sometime in the future.

Now, during a recent appearance on the SmartLess podcast, co-hosted by her former Ozark co-star Jason Bateman, Julia Garner said the Madonna biopic is “supposed to still happen” despite reports of its cancellation. She added that she’s “such a fan of Madonna” and she “grew up listening” to her music.

She says landing the lead role “just came about” naturally. As soon as she learned about the biopic centered on the pop icon, she felt compelled to try out for it. She went on to discuss how she prepared for the audition, including channeling Madonna’s confidence.

Garner also told fans not to be concerned about the film’s postponement, emphasizing that “anything that’s great… takes a long time.” Read her relevant comments or listen to the full podcast below:

That’s supposed to still happen… I kind of just wanted to see if I could do it, because I wasn’t a trained dancer and I had to learn how to dance and then dance in front of her and convince her that I can dance, basically, and sing. And sing with her! … OK, what would Madonna do? Which is convince you that she deserves, you know, to be in this room, and I owned it. I was kind of like, “You can take it or leave it, but if you leave it, if I leave, then that’s on you.”

What This Means For The Madonna Biopic

It’s Been Revived

This update from Julia Garner essentially revives the Madonna biopic, which was previously believed to be canceled. In 2023, reports indicated that it was scrapped and was no longer in development. Not only was Madonna busy embarking on her world tour, but Garner has been busy with Wolf Man, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Weapons, all releasing in 2025.

On the podcast, Garner also discussed securing the role of Madonna, which came after an intense, weeks-long audition process that included participating in a singing and dancing bootcamp. She ultimately beat out several other stars, including Florence Pugh, Euphoria star Alexa Demie, Odessa Young, and Bebe Rexha.

Our Take On The Madonna Biopic

How Long Will It Take?

It’s certainly a positive sign that the Madonna biopic is still in development despite reports of its cancellation. However, it’s unclear what its status actually is, including its two different scripts penned by Diablo Cody and Cressida Wilson. Garner and Madonna’s availability is also up in the air. Without a confirmed timeline, the Madonna biopic remains in limbo, alive in spirit, but far from becoming a reality anytime soon.

Source: SmartLess podcast