Fresh off the success of Wicked, director Jon M. Chu is not only working on part two, titled Wicked: For Good, but is also preparing to helm another major project — a biopic for pop music icon Britney Spears.
In Aug. 2024, Universal Pictures announced that it had acquired the rights to Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me, released in October of the following. Chu was confirmed as the director, with Marc Platt set to produce the project. Spears teased her fans on X, writing that she was “excited to share with my fans that I’ve been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He’s always made my favorite movies… stay tuned.”
Within a week of its release, The Woman in Me sold more than 1.1 million copies in the U.S. alone. Spears extended her heartfelt gratitude to her fans, saying, “I poured my heart and soul into my memoir, and I am grateful to my fans and readers around the world for their unwavering support.” According to the singer, she decided to tell her story in her own words after getting out of her 13-year conservatorship. “I sat back while people spoke about me and told my story for me… I was finally free to tell my story without consequences from the people in charge of my life,” she stated.
Not many details have been revealed since the biopic’s announcement, but Chu recently spoke about it at the Golden Globes red carpet. Although he hasn’t delved too deep into the project, he said Spears “will be very involved in this.”
Who will play Britney Spears in the biopic?
Chu said that although he hasn’t started anything yet, he already has ideas on how to approach the movie, but it’s still early days. However, what he did say was that he will take fans’ opinions into account, at least when it comes to casting. When news of the project spread, Spears’ fans immediately expressed their opinions about who they wanted to portray her. Some of the most mentioned names include Sydney Sweeney, Sabrina Carpenter, and Dove Cameron.
“I’ve seen all fan castings and I always take those into consideration because maybe there’s a good idea out there,” Chu said. However, the director added that the decision around who will portray the musician is still a long way off, as he must know the “approach of the movie” to see which star would be the perfect fit.
What Chu is sure of is that he wants to bring Spears’ story to life. He’s a big supporter of the pop star, saying, “I’ve been a fan since I was young and she was young and she was one of 12 acts at the Shrine Auditorium. So I want to do her justice and tell her story right.” The director added that the production team is still at the developing stage of the biopic, and that there will be “a long road ahead.”
In The Woman in Me, Spears chronicles her journey to being a global pop phenomenon, revealing the challenges she faced in the spotlight. She also reflects on her family dynamics, romantic relationships, and motherhood. As of now, it isn’t clear which part of her life the biopic will focus on, and a release date has yet to be announced.
Published: Jan 6, 2025 10:53 pm