Overview

• Julia Garner confirmed on the SmartLess podcast that she remains attached to the long-delayed feature about the pop star’s life.
• The actress described a rigorous audition in which she had to learn to dance and sing in front of Madonna to prove she could embody the icon.
• Madonna resumed work on the screenplay in mid-2024 after collaborating on drafts with Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson.
• Universal Pictures paused the project in early 2023 to accommodate Madonna’s Celebration Tour but the singer has since revived the film’s development.
• In May 2025, Madonna partnered with director-producer Shawn Levy on a separate limited series for Netflix that will also chronicle her career.