If you’re a fan of Madonna, aka the OG material girl, then you’ll know by now that a musical biopic has been cooking away for quite some time. Back in 2020, the Queen of Pop posted a statement on her website announcing that a big-screen adaptation of her life story was in motion in a suitably dramatic fashion.

“I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer – a human being, trying to make her way in this world,” she declared. “The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the rollercoaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.”

According to Variety, Julia Garner emerged triumphant after that gruelling audition process. The actor, who has recently starred in Netflix’s hit show Inventing Anna as New York City con artist Anna Delvey and Ozark as the enterprising, potty-mouthed Ruth Langmore, will now play the “oft-controversial artist and queen of perpetual reinvention”.

Backed by Universal Pictures, the film is being adapted from a script by Oscar-winning Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody, and produced by Amy Pascal.

Although details of the production timeline and wider cast are still under wraps at this point, we do know that Madonna has been very involved in the process of making her biopic.

“I have a very long script that is really hard for me to make shorter,” she told Variety in a recent interview.

“I’ve been whittling away at it, but it’s like hacking off my limbs. I’ve had an extraordinary life, I must make an extraordinary film.”

Madonna went on to explain that she felt strongly about taking the directorial reins on the movie after facing competition from male directors who wanted to control her narrative.

“It was also a preemptive strike because a lot of people were trying to make movies about me,” she continued. “Mostly misogynistic men. So I put my foot in the door and said, ‘No one’s going to tell my story, but me.’”

It’s not the first time the star has spoken out about wanting to take her biopic into her own hands. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October 2021, Madonna said she felt strongly about involved in the creative process after reading a script that misinterpreted her story.

“The reason I’m doing it is because a bunch of people have tried to write movies about me, but they’re always men,” she told Fallon.

“I read that Universal was doing a script… they wanted my blessing, and I read it. It was the most hideous, superficial crap I’ve ever read. This [has] happened a couple of times. So, finally, I just threw down the gauntlet.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the current draft of the film ends with Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition tour. Watch this space for more details to come.

Images: Getty