Julia Garner Teases Madonna Biopic May Not Be Dead Yet: "Fingers Crossed"

Julia Garner is still hooked on the Madonna biopic.

After being cast as the pop icon for Material Girl in June 2022, the film was shelved by Universal in January 2023. Madonna, who co-wrote, produces and is set to direct her own life story for the big screen, recently announced a world tour.

However, 'Inventing Anna' alum Garner teased that this isn't the end of Madonna's biopic.

"I don't want to say too much," Garner told . "I'll keep it up...fingers crossed."

Garner reportedly went through an intense audition process to land the role of Madonna. The so-called boot camp was also attended by Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, Odessa Young and Emma Laird, with singers Bebe Rexha and Sky Ferreira also previously considered for the lead role. Julia Fox is rumored to be Madonna's longtime friend and fellow actress Debi Mazar.

According to a report by THR, the actresses endured "up to 11 hours a day of choreography sessions" with Madonna's personal choreographer, followed by choreography sessions with the "Like a Virgin" singer herself. The untitled film culminates with Madonna's 1990 Blonde Ambition tour and will require several dancing and singing sequences. Madonna worked with Diablo Cody and playwright Erin Cressida Wilson on the script.

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Madonna admitted co-writing the screenplay was like “cutting her limbs off” before the film was de facto canceled.

"I've had an amazing life, I have to make an amazing movie," Madonna said in July 2022. "It was also a preemptive strike because a lot of people were trying to make movies about me. Mostly men misogynists. So I stepped in the door and said, "Nobody's going to tell my story but me."

Madonna previously directed "Filth and Wisdom" in 2008 and "W.E." in 2011. Her own biopic was described as covering "the incredible journey that life has taken me as an artist, a musician, a dancer – a human being, trying to make my way in this world", according to the a singer. The film is rumored to be called "Little Sparrow".

As for the film's unfolding, Madonna told The Associated Press last year (via E! Online): "It's been a pretty crazy experience so far, I'm just trying to figure it out. writing and deciding what stories to tell, how much detail to go into, what characters to develop. It was really a long and arduous process, but it was also really therapeutic."

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