Julia Garner Says Canceled Madonna Biopic Is 'Supposed to Still Happen'
The movie was first announced in 2020, with Madonna attached to direct the film from a screenplay she co-wrote with Tony Award winner Diablo Cody.
By: Josh Sharpe Jul. 31, 2025
Julia Garner has revealed that the previously canceled Madonna biopic, starring the actress as the music icon, is still in the works. During an appearance on the SmartLess podcast, the Fantastic Four star told the hosts that the project is "supposed to still happen" despite reports of its cancellation in 2023.
The movie was originally announced in 2020, with Madonna herself attached to direct the film from a screenplay she co-wrote with Tony Award winner Diablo Cody. Garner was later cast following an intense audition process, which she recalled during the SmartLess interview. “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." Other actresses in the running were Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, Bebe Rexha, and more.
On the long development of the film, Garner reassured viewers, saying, "anything that’s great… I feel like it takes a long time.” In addition to this feature, it was announced earlier this year that Madonna was teaming up with filmmaker Shawn Levy on a new limited series about her life for Netflix. At this point, it is unclear who will write and direct that series, but both Madonna and Levy will executive produce.
Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and has achieved the most number-one singles by a woman in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. With a revenue of over U.S. $1.5 billion from her concert tickets, she remains the highest-grossing female touring artist worldwide. Forbes has named Madonna the annual top-earning female musician a record 11 times across four decades (1980s–2010s).
She played Eva Peron in the 1996 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita, winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She sang songs penned by Stephen Sondheim in the film Dick Tracy. Other acting credits include work in A League of Their Own and Desperately Seeking Susan.
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