Rocketman Director Wants to Helm a Madonna Biopic

Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher wants to helm a Madonna biopic. In light of the ongoing success that’s been found both critically and at the box office for titles like Straight Outta Compton and Bohemian Rhapsody, the musical biopic has proven itself a solid career move for filmmakers and actors alike.

The most recent musical icon to get the biopic treatment is Elton John, whose tale is now being told in Rocketman. While the film has yet to be released in the United States, it’s arrived in some European theaters in limited release. So far, reactions to Taron Egerton’s portrayal of John have been positive, with Egerton recently revealing that while he doesn’t pay any attention to reviews, John is actually sending him positive reviews on a daily basis. All of this bodes well for the reputation of Rocketman director Fletcher, who likely has another hit on his hands after taking over Bohemian Rhapsody when Bryan Singer was fired as a result of his ongoing sexual abuse scandal.

Having given the public onscreen adaptations of the lives of two of the biggest musical icons in rock n’ roll history, exactly what’s next for Fletcher is a mystery. Thanks to EW, however, we’ve learned that the 53-year-old director is most interested in doing a Madonna biopic. Saying that the concept of a Madonna film “…sounds like a real rollercoaster ride” and calling the concept “extraordinary”, Fletcher went on to add that although he hadn’t previously been considering it, if he was to work on another big screen adaptation of an icon, it would be the Material Girl’s. Said Fletcher:

“I’d do Madonna! That sounds like a real rollercoaster ride! It would be extraordinary… I don’t know how happy she’d be about that [idea]… But what an extraordinary life that would be. If I was to tackle any other icon like that, it would be her. She’s extraordinary.”

Indeed, Madonna has lead the sort of life and built the sort of career that could work amazingly well as a film. The 60-year-old musician has been a musical innovator, controversial groundbreaker, women’s and LGBTQ rights advocate, and a powerful role model for many over the course of her illustrious career. The mere idea of a Madonna biopic is a powerful one, but unfortunately for Madonna fans, it’s unlikely to happen any time soon – at least if Madonna has any say on the matter. Back in 2017 after Universal announced they would be setting to work on Blonde Ambition – their take on Madonna’s early days in New York City, the pop-star took to her Instagram account, writing:

“Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen. Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. Looking for instant gratification without doing the work. This is a disease in our society.”

It’s not hard to imagine a day when a Madonna biopic is a reality, however it appears that if there’s ever going to be one that’s supported by Madonna, it’ll require substantial input and consideration from the artist herself. And really, any true fan wouldn’t want anything less. Given Madonna’s apparent determination to tell her own story as well as her past experience as a director, when and if the time does come for a biopic, it could very well be the Material Girl behind the camera.