Pop icon Britney Spears is bringing her life story to the big screen.
Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to her bestselling memoir, The Woman in Me, and is developing it into a biopic, CNN has confirmed.
The film will be directed by Jon M. Chu, known for his work on Crazy Rich Asians and the upcoming Wicked movie. Marc Platt, who has been nominated for Oscars for Wicked and La La Land, will produce the film.
Spears hinted at the project on social media, posting on X, “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!”
Universal won the rights to the memoir after competing with other major studios and streaming services. While the studio has not revealed specifics about Spears’ involvement, sources indicate she will be actively involved in the film.
Published in October 2023, The Woman in Me offers an intimate look at Spears’ life, from her early days in Mississippi to her rise to global fame, her experience with motherhood, and her journey to personal freedom. The book, written by Spears herself, explores her career, her struggles with intense media scrutiny, and her experiences with her conservatorship.
The memoir was released nearly two years after Spears was freed from a 13-year conservatorship in 2021. This past April, she reached a settlement with her estranged father, ending the conservatorship.
The audiobook of The Woman in Me, narrated by Michelle Williams, broke records as the fastest-selling audiobook in Simon & Schuster’s history and was the most listened-to audiobook on Spotify in 2023.
Casting details for the biopic have not yet been announced. Universal is continuing its trend of music-based projects, following successful films like Straight Outta Compton and 8 Mile. The studio is also working on biopics about Snoop Dogg and Prince.
Spears last appeared in a major studio film with Crossroads in 2002, a coming-of-age drama that she co-executive produced.
