Julia Garner, who was cast as the lead in Madonna’s self-directed biopic in 2022, remains in professional limbo as the project stays shelved.
Despite surviving a grueling, months-long Madonna Bootcamp,
the actress confirmed this November that she no longer knows the current status of the film, stating, Every hour it changes, in a way.
Garner, 32, emphasized that the decision is not within her control. During a CBS interview, she expressed a continued desire to see the project completed, adding, I would love for the movie to get made, obviously. But I also feel whatever happens, I made a great friend.
The Production Timeline
The journey toward a Madonna biopic began in 2020, with the singer partnering with writer Diablo Cody and producer Amy Pascal. By 2022, the search for a lead culminated in a rigorous audition process involving intense singing, choreography, and line-reading sessions. Garner was announced as the winner of this process in June 2022. However, development halted in January 2023 ahead of Madonna’s Celebration tour.
While Madonna teased a revised script titled Who’s That Girl in July 2024, the project’s future remains complicated by its history with Universal Pictures. According to Madonna, the partnership with the studio dissolved over budget disputes.
She noted that she attempted to find more affordable filming locations, but the studio declined. Madonna further reported that efforts to pivot the project into a limited series with Netflix stalled because she could not reacquire her own script from Universal without paying an extortionist’s price.
Garner Describes Shifting Biopic Status and Personal Ties
The status of the biopic has seen shifting narratives over the last two years. In July 2025, Garner told the SmartLess podcast that the film was supposed to still happen,
and by September of that year, she described it as a work in progress. By November 2026, her outlook had shifted to uncertainty.
Despite the professional uncertainty, the two women have maintained a close relationship. Garner has appeared in Madonna’s short film Confessions II — The Film and joined the singer onstage during her 2026 MTV Video Music Awards performance.
Additionally, Madonna has drawn on the difficulties of the production by filming a two-episode arc for the second season of the series The Studio, in which both Madonna and Garner appear. It remains unclear if the original biopic project will ever be revived or if the rights to the story remain permanently lapsed at Universal.
