5 Shocking New Updates On The Madonna Biopic: Is Julia Garner Still Playing The Queen Of Pop?

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The long-anticipated, self-directed Madonna biopic has been one of the most talked-about and mysterious projects in Hollywood, and as of late 2024 and early 2025, the story is far from over. Despite earlier reports that Universal Pictures had shelved the film to allow Madonna to focus on her global 'Celebration Tour,' fresh updates from those closest to the project suggest the Queen of Pop is not ready to hang up her director’s hat just yet. The latest news confirms a major script rework, a rumored new title, and a hopeful status update from the lead actress, fueling intense speculation about when—or if—this controversial film will ever see the light of day.

The original plan for the film, which was to be co-written and directed by Madonna herself, was put on indefinite hold in early 2023, leaving fans and industry insiders to assume the project was dead. However, a series of recent comments and social media teases have indicated a significant revival and re-focus. The most crucial detail? The Emmy-winning actress chosen to portray the icon is still attached, offering the strongest sign yet that the story of the Material Girl’s rise to global superstardom is merely delayed, not canceled.

Madonna: A Brief Biography and The Biopic's Central Focus

The sheer scale of Madonna’s life and career is precisely why a single biopic has proven so challenging to produce. Born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Bay City, Michigan, the future Queen of Pop moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance.

Her early years were a struggle, marked by brief stints as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in rock bands like Breakfast Club and Emmy. By 1981, she had decided to go solo, a move that quickly led to her signing with Sire Records and the release of her self-titled debut album in 1983. Her immense popularity in the 1980s and 1990s cemented her status as a cultural force, known for her boundary-pushing music videos, controversial fashion, and continuous reinvention.

The self-directed biopic, originally co-written with Diablo Cody (and later reworked), was intended to cover her early, gritty struggle in New York—a period of intense artistic ambition and survival. This focus on her formative years is a key reason why the project, rumored to be titled *Who’s That Girl*, has generated so much buzz, promising a raw, unfiltered look at the woman behind the legend.

  • Full Name: Madonna Louise Ciccone
  • Born: August 16, 1958, Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
  • Key Career Milestones: Moved to NYC (1978); Self-Titled Debut Album (*Madonna*, 1983); *Like a Virgin* (1984); *True Blue* (1986); *Like a Prayer* (1989); *Vogue* / *Blond Ambition Tour* (1990); Golden Globe for Best Actress in *Evita* (1996).
  • Biopic Focus: The script is centered on her "struggle as an artist trying to survive in a man's world" in the early 1980s.

The 5 Most Crucial, Up-To-Date Biopic Status Reports

The Madonna biopic has been a rollercoaster of announcements, cancellations, and cryptic updates. Here are the five most significant and recent pieces of information that prove the project is still alive and evolving in 2025.

1. Julia Garner Confirms: "It’s Still Supposed to Happen"

The most definitive update came from the star herself, Julia Garner. The Emmy-winning actress, known for her roles in *Ozark* and *Inventing Anna*, was selected from a grueling audition process that reportedly involved singing, dancing, and reading sessions with Madonna. Following the news that the project was shelved in early 2023, Garner remained silent, but in recent interviews (late 2024/early 2025), she shared a hopeful message.

Garner stated that the biopic is “supposed to still happen” and is "a work in progress." This confirmation is vital, as it dispels the widespread belief that the entire production had been scrapped. Her continued commitment to the role of a lifetime—a role that reportedly beat out contenders like Florence Pugh and Odessa Young—is the strongest indicator that the film will eventually move forward.

2. Madonna is Reworking the Script with a New Co-Writer

In July 2024, Madonna herself took to social media to tease a major development: she was back at work on the screenplay. Crucially, she revealed she had teamed up with a new collaborator, Erin Cressida Wilson.

Wilson is a highly respected screenwriter known for her work on films like *Secretary* and *The Girl on the Train*, which often explore complex female sexuality and psychology. This partnership suggests a significant shift from the previous draft co-written with *Juno* screenwriter Diablo Cody, potentially aiming for the "grittier" and more uncompromising vision that Madonna reportedly preferred.

3. The New Working Title is Rumored to Be ‘Who’s That Girl’

While the project was initially known to be inspired by the unproduced 2016 Black List script *Blonde Ambition* (which focused on her 1980s New York struggle), the new working title is rumored to be *Who’s That Girl*.

This title, referencing her 1987 song and film of the same name, is a perfect fit for a story about an artist’s early identity crisis and rise to fame. It also aligns with the confirmed plot details, which will focus on Madonna’s "struggle as an artist trying to survive in a man's world," dealing with everything from Andy Warhol to the development of her iconic "Vogue" style.

4. The Initial Delay Was Due to the 'Celebration Tour'

The reason the project was "scrapped" in early 2023 was not a creative failure but a practical one: Madonna chose to focus entirely on her massive, career-spanning 'Celebration Tour.' The tour, which ran throughout 2023 and 2024, required her full attention, forcing Universal Pictures to put the film on hold.

Insiders have stated that Madonna remains "committed to making a film about her life one day." With the tour now complete, the path is clear for her to return to the director's chair and production. This suggests the delay was strategic, not terminal, making a 2025/2026 production start a real possibility.

5. The Biopic May Pivot to a Limited TV Series

In a late-breaking development from November 2024, there are whispers that the feature film could pivot into a limited television series. While unconfirmed, this move would make sense for a life as expansive as Madonna’s.

A TV series format would allow for a deeper, more detailed exploration of her career milestones—from her early days in dance to the *Like a Virgin* controversies, her marriage to Sean Penn, and her reinvention for *Evita*. While a feature film must condense decades into two hours, a series could fully deliver on the promise of a truly comprehensive and "gritty" narrative.

What This Means for the Future of Music Biopics

The Madonna biopic stands as a unique case in the genre of music biopics. Unlike films about Freddie Mercury (*Bohemian Rhapsody*) or Elton John (*Rocketman*), this project is being directed and co-written by the subject herself. This level of control guarantees an authentic, albeit highly subjective, narrative.

The continued development, despite the massive tour and initial shelving, highlights Madonna’s determination to tell her story on her own terms. The involvement of Julia Garner, the new co-writer Erin Cressida Wilson, and the rumored title *Who’s That Girl* all point toward a project that is not only alive but being meticulously reshaped for maximum impact. Fans should stay tuned, as the story of the Queen of Pop’s cinematic self-portrait is finally starting to get its second wind.

madonna biopic
madonna biopic

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