Madonna Biopic ‘Blonde Ambition’ Lands At Universal

Elyse Hollander’s Madonna biopic script Blonde Ambition, the No. 1 screenplay on 2016’s The Black List, has been optioned by Universal Pictures. RatPac Entertainment, Michael De Luca Productions and Bellvue Productions are producing.

The script is set in 1980s New York, where Madonna struggles to get her first album released while navigating fame, romance and a music industry that views women as disposable. Interesting, while an agent at CAA, Ron Meyer (now vice chairman of NBC/Universal) used to rep the singer. The title of the film comes from a tour launched in 1990 by the singer who was in her glory with No. 1 hits such as Like A Prayer, Express Yourself and Vogue. In 1991, the documentary Truth or Dare documented the tour.

The script received 48 votes to top the annual list of the year’s best unproduced screenplays. Hollander is currently rewriting Talent Show for Universal with George Tillman attached to produce and direct.

Among the top four scripts on the list unveiled in December: This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman’s Life Itself, which will star Annette Bening, Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Cooke, Laia Costa, Mandy Patinkin and Alex Monner; and Liz Hannah’s Pentagon Papers pic The Post which Fox has since acquired with Steven Spielberg directing Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep.

Producers on Blonde Ambition are Universal-based De Luca, Brett Ratner and John Zaozirny of Bellvue Productions. Executive VP of Production Erik Baiers and Director of development Chloe Yellin will oversee production for the studio. Lucy Kitada will help oversee for De Luca Productions.

Hollander is represented by WME, Bellvue Productions, and Ryan Pastorek and Robby Koch of Hansen Jacobson.