Julia Garner Says Madonna Biopic Status Changes 'Every Hour'

Julia Garner says the Madonna biopic's status changes "every hour," five years after Universal Pictures first announced the film in 2020.

Speaking in a recent interview with CBS, Garner was asked where the long-delayed project stands. "I don't know. Every hour it changes, in a way," she said. "It's not up to me. I would love for the movie to get made, obviously. But I also feel whatever happens, I made a great friend."

She added: "I love Madonna. I think she's incredible."

What does this change for the film?

Not much, in practical terms. Garner's CBS comments confirm she's still attached to play the seven-time Grammy winner, but they also signal that the decision rests with the studio and Madonna herself, not the star. That matches the project's recent history of stalls and reversals.

Garner's last update came in July 2025, when she guested on the "SmartLess" podcast. She told hosts Will Arnett, Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman that she remained set for the lead role. "That's supposed to still happen," she said at the time. She described herself as "such a fan of Madonna" and said she "grew up listening" to her music.

She also offered fans a reassurance about the pace: "anything that's great…takes a long time."

A film stuck in limbo since 2023

The project's most concrete setback came in 2023, when Variety reported that the film had been scrapped ahead of Madonna's world tour and would remain on pause indefinitely at Universal Pictures. No restart has been announced since.

Garner landed the part in 2022, as Variety exclusively reported, after a grueling process that included a full-on singing-and-dancing boot camp. Several other actors were reportedly in consideration for the role:

• Florence Pugh
• Alexa Demie
• Odessa Young
• Bebe Rexha

Madonna herself was set to direct the biopic. Two different scripts were reportedly penned for the project — one by Diablo Cody, whose writing sessions with Madonna were widely disseminated on social media, and one by Cressida Wilson.

So the mechanism here is simple: a star who's attached and willing, a director-star whose other commitments (a world tour) derailed momentum, and a studio holding the project in indefinite pause. Until Universal or Madonna moves, Garner's "every hour" answer is the most honest status report available.

Where to see Garner now

Garner's next screen appearance is close at hand. She stars in Netflix's "The Altruists," an eight-episode limited series due on the streamer on Nov. 19. The series tells the story of Sam Bankman-Fried (Anthony Boyle) and Caroline Ellison (Garner), described as "two hyper-smart, ambitious young idealists who tried to remake the global financial system in the blink of an eye — before they were accused of stealing $8 billion."

For now, the biopic's future likely hinges on Madonna's own priorities after her tour — and whether Universal revives a script that has already been written twice.