For years, there was talk of a major movie about Madonna's life - but the project failed. Now the singer (67) has explained what went wrong. In a conversation with "Interview" magazine, she cites a falling-out with the studio Universal Pictures as the reason.
In 2020, the project was officially announced by Universal, according to "The Hollywood Reporter". Madonna was supposed to direct the film about her life herself and write the screenplay together with Diablo Cody. Later, Erin Cressida Wilson joined as a writer; in 2022, Julia Garner was earmarked for the lead role.
"I was supposed to make a film about my life. I worked on my screenplay for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the production managers planning the budget and assembling the cast", Madonna told the magazine. "There were disagreements between me and Universal about the budget, because I needed - I've led an extraordinary life. I've experienced a lot, so I needed a large budget."
Madonna's idea: filming in Serbia
The studio didn't show understanding for the necessary sum, according to the singer. She then tried to reduce costs - with a plan to produce the film more cheaply in Serbia. But apparently that didn't convince Universal either.
"Maybe they just didn't believe me", Madonna explains. "One of their first reactions was: 'We don't believe you'd stay in Serbia longer than four days.' And I said: 'Have you read the screenplay?' My whole life has been a struggle for survival. I'm not going there to vacation." After the end of the movie plans, she was initially in limbo until Netflix reached out with the proposal of a series. But this path also proved complicated: She couldn't use her own Universal screenplay without buying it back from the studio at an "extortionate price" - "even though I wrote it. Don't ask".
Working on a series is a completely different process, Madonna described further. "You have to meet many writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn't find one. That dragged on for another eight or nine months", according to the singer. Her motivation remained the same throughout: "Good thing I have another job, because I have to work, I have to be creative. I have to do what I came into this world to do." That's how she came to work on her new album "Confessions II", which will now be released on July 3.
According to "People", Universal Studios and Netflix have not yet commented on Madonna's statements upon request.
"No more cartilage": the traces of her career
In the same interview, Madonna also talked about the physical consequences of her stage years. She revealed that she no longer trains daily - because of a knee injury. "I now have a bad knee. I have no more cartilage in it because I danced in high heels for so long, walked on asphalt, and did Ashtanga yoga." Until a year ago, she trained on trampolines and did dance cardio - "that's no longer possible".
Nevertheless, giving up is not an option for the 67-year-old: She has merely adjusted her program. "Now I do Peloton bike, the Versa Climber, and high-intensity circuit training", she said. "I ride my bike outside a lot. I dance."
Madonna also provided information about her self-presentation. After decades as a provocateur, she has discovered a new appeal for herself. "Now I don't want to be unclothed anymore because everyone is unclothed", she said. Swimming against the current is in her nature, which is why she now wants to "do what others don't do: think and wear clothes".
The fact that her art is often misunderstood continues to occupy her. "I do many provocative things, but there's always a reason for it, and nobody bothers to question that", according to the singer. Many people miss "the subtleties and the layers of meaning" - and that's especially true when the art comes from a woman.
