Universal is developing Madonna biopic “Blonde Ambition,” picking up rights to Elyse Hollander’s “Blonde Ambition” screenplay about Madonna’s first album.
“Blonde Ambition” led the 2016 version of the Black List — an annual ranking of the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. Hollander’s script received 49 votes among the 250 executives voting. The project details Madonna’s efforts in the early 1980s in New York City to get her first album released while navigating fame, romance, and the dismissive attitude of the music industry at the time.
“Blonde Ambition” is set up with Brett Ratner’s Ratpac and Michael De Luca. John Zaozirny of Bellevue Productions will also produce.
Madonna broke out in 1983 on her first album, “Madonna,” followed by 1984’s blockbuster “Like a Virgin.”
It’s the first script sale for Hollander, who has worked as an assistant to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
De Luca produces the “Fifty Shades” franchise for Universal and was nominated for three consecutive Academy Awards for best picture for “Moneyball,” “Social Network,” and “Captain Phillips.” Ratner’s RatPac announced last week that Len Blavatnik’s Access Entertainment had bought out James Packer’s stake in the company.
Erik Baiers and Chloe Yellin will oversee production for Universal. Lucy Kitada will oversee for De Luca Productions and John Cheng will oversee for Ratpac.
Hollander is repped by WME, Bellevue, Ryan Pastorek, and Robby Koch of Hansen Jacobson.