Madonna is not a good director. She’s already perpetrated on us the unwatchable “W.E,” and the atrocious “Filth and Wisdom,” but that clearly isn’t enough for her. She’s now demanding money to write and direct a pricey biopic about herself.
The singer was supposed to direct her third feature, based on her own life story, with Julia Garner to star in the lead role. The project was originally scrapped. No reasons were given. However, it looks as though Madonna isn’t giving up, and has gone on Instagram to vent her frustrations:
After struggling for days in LA , listening to producers and agents tell me why I couldn’t make my film — been working on it for 4 years!!! —downsize-down scale -think smaller-they say—I realized that everything in my life is going to be challenged. No easy rides for me. I guess I should be grateful.. It forces me to think outside the box. I did not have a normal life. I cannot make this in the normal way. Spending time with my creative friends was just the fuel I needed to keep going! We all agreed that we need to be even more fearless!!! Art =Survival. We cannot shrink and make ourselves smaller. If you want something badly enough in life— the whole universe will conspire to hell you get it. Should I make the story of my life into a series or a feature film?
The biopic is called “Who's That Girl” — a reference to both Madonna's 1987 comedy film, and her single of the same name. It was first announced by Universal in September 2020 with “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody working on an early draft. That didn’t work out. Erin Cressida Wilson came in to write a new draft, with Madonna listed as co-writer — that also didn’t pan out. Now Madonna is writing the entire thing.
The singer had previously described the film as following her "struggle as an artist trying to survive in a man's world as a woman, and really just the journey," which she described at the time as a "happy, sad, mad, crazy, good, bad, and ugly" tale of the making of a superstar.
Why would Universal run the risk of financing Madonna writing and directing a movie about herself? At least Garner is inspired casting, she does look like a younger version of the singer. Who knows if this will ever get made, but Madonna seems to believe that it will.
Now, if Madonna would step back, let an actual talented filmmaker take over, and just watch the creative process occur on the sidelines, then there’s no doubt in my mind that Hollywood would be interested in making a biopic about her life. However, her ego is too big, and she’s demanding to do it all herself. Good luck with that.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.