What was once expected to be one of Hollywood's biggest music biopics never got off the ground. Madonna has now revealed how a breakdown in negotiations with Universal Pictures and later challenges with a proposed Netflix series left the project in limbo.

Speaking in a recent interview with Interview magazine, the music icon reflected on the ambitious film she had planned to direct herself. The project had attracted significant attention, with actress Julia Garner attached to portray the singer, but despite years of development, it never reached production.

Madonna, whose career spans chart-topping albums including Like a Virgin, True Blue and Like a Prayer, as well as acclaimed acting roles in films such as A League of Their Own and Evita, said the scale of her life story required a much larger production than the studio was willing to support.

Looking back on the experience, Madonna explained that she spent years developing the screenplay and working alongside Universal to bring the film to life.

"I was supposed to make a movie about my life," she told the publication.

"I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting."

According to the singer, discussions eventually broke down because of differing views on the budget required to tell her story properly.

"We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed. I've had an extraordinary life. I've had a huge life, so I needed a big budget."

Madonna said she explored alternative ways to make the project happen, including the possibility of shooting in Serbia to reduce costs.

However, she suggested the idea failed to gain support from the studio.

"They couldn't get their heads around it," she said. "I found a way to make it for less money in Serbia, but I don't think they were into the idea of. I don't know. Maybe they just didn't believe in me."

She also recalled a remark that particularly frustrated her during discussions.

"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."

Netflix series discussions brought new challenges

After the film project stalled, Madonna said Netflix approached her about developing a series based on her life and career.

The opportunity offered a new direction, but it also came with fresh complications.

"I was in limbo when that fell apart, and then Netflix reached out to make a series," she explained.

One major obstacle was that she could not simply repurpose the screenplay she had already spent years creating.

"That was a whole other long process, because I couldn't use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionist's price, even though I wrote it."

In May 2025, The Hollywood Reporter reported that producer Shawn Levy was working alongside Madonna on a limited series inspired by her life and career.

Madonna said adapting her story into a television series proved far more complicated than she initially expected.

The singer spent months trying to understand how the television development process worked and searching for the right collaborators.

"I started trying to understand how making a series would work. It's a very, very different process," she said.

"You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn't find one. This went on for another eight or nine months."

The Madonna biopic was first announced in 2020 and generated considerable excitement among fans eager to see her life story brought to the screen.

However, The Hollywood Reporter previously revealed that Universal placed the film into turnaround in late 2022.

During development, Madonna worked on various versions of the screenplay with writers Diablo Cody and Cressida Wilson. According to the report, none of the script drafts came in at fewer than 180 pages, prompting concerns about the eventual running time of the film.

Julia Garner remains hopeful

Despite the project's setbacks, Julia Garner has previously suggested that the biopic may not be entirely off the table.

Appearing on the SmartLess podcast last year, the Emmy-winning actress said the film was "supposed to still happen."

Garner also spoke warmly about the opportunity to portray the music legend, describing herself as "such a fan of Madonna's."