Madonna’s life story is getting the Netflix treatment — and this time, the path to bringing the Queen of Pop’s legacy to screen has taken an unexpectedly fitting detour through the Marvel universe. In what might be called a stroke of cosmic irony, it was a blood-soaked scene featuring “Like A Prayer” in the upcoming “Deadpool & Wolverine” that sparked a creative connection between Madonna and director Shawn Levy.
The streaming giant’s limited series format marks a dramatic pivot from Madonna’s previous vision. Back in 2020, she’d been hell-bent on crafting a theatrical biopic at Universal Pictures. “No one’s going to tell my story, but me,” she’d declared with that trademark Madonna defiance, pushing back against what she termed “mostly misogynistic men” attempting to capitalize on her narrative.
That earlier incarnation — which would’ve seen Julia Garner (you know, the scene-stealer from “Ozark”) rocking those iconic cone bras — hit the skids in 2023. Madonna chose to focus on her “Celebration Tour” instead, though looking back, that seeming setback might’ve been exactly what the project needed.
Let’s be real: cramming four decades of Madonna’s boundary-pushing career into a two-hour movie always felt like trying to stuff a hurricane into a mason jar. The series format opens up breathing room to really dig into those pivotal moments — from her scrappy beginnings in New York’s electric downtown scene to her evolution into a cultural force who’s moved more records than most small countries have citizens (335 million and counting, for those keeping score).
Shawn Levy’s involvement feels particularly inspired. Fresh off juggling nostalgia and innovation with “Stranger Things” and now “Deadpool & Wolverine,” his 21 Laps Entertainment brings both the creative chops and the Netflix muscle needed for such an ambitious undertaking. His knack for balancing reverence with irreverence could be exactly what Madonna’s story needs.
The casting situation remains fluid, though Garner’s continued connection with Madonna (including that surprise appearance during the “Celebration Tour”) makes her the obvious frontrunner. There’s something rather poetic about potentially keeping her attached — talk about coming full circle.
Previous discussions about the biopic’s content suggest we’re in for a deep dive into career-defining moments: those early days rubbing shoulders with Andy Warhol, the religious firestorm ignited by “Like A Prayer,” and her transformation into Eva Perón. With the expanded canvas of a series, these watershed moments can finally get the space they deserve.
For an artist who’s spent decades shattering expectations and rewriting rules, this shift to streaming feels less like settling and more like evolution. In 2025’s entertainment landscape, where limited series have become the go-to format for nuanced storytelling, Netflix might just provide the perfect stage for Madonna’s most ambitious production yet — the story of her own revolutionary impact on popular culture.
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