Studio filmmaking and innovation rarely go hand-in-hand. Due to the hundreds of millions of dollars on the line with each film, folks like Disney, Warner Bros, Universal, Paramount, and their brethren often only bet on “sure things.” So, when a film like “Bohemian Rhapsody” makes close to $1 billion, you better believe that studios are going to raid the music industry, looking for other icons to bring to the big screen. We’ve already seen it happen.
And according to one of the new godfathers of this hot subgenre, Dexter Fletcher, he knows exactly who Hollywood should be going after next, if he had the choice — Madonna.
Fletcher is the man that seemingly rescued “Bohemian Rhapsody” from the drama surrounding ousted director Bryan Singer, and helped shape the blockbuster. His next film, the upcoming “Rocketman,” sees the filmmaker tackle another music icon, Elton John, with many critics saying that Fletcher’s latest is far superior to the Oscar-winning ‘Rhapsody.’
Speaking to Gay Star News, Fletcher was asked which musical artist he thinks is ripe for a big-screen adaptation. And the director didn’t hesitate when he answered.
“I’d do Madonna! That sounds like a real rollercoaster ride! It would be extraordinary,” said Fletcher.
He added, “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.”
With David Bowie, Prince, and even Boy George getting musical drama biopics, why not mix it up and let the Material Girl get her chance to shine? And if you think about it, Fletcher is absolutely right, Madonna is the perfect subject. From her troubled childhood to pop superstardom to numerous scandals, Madonna has no shortage of material to include in her life story. Hell, you could likely fill three movies with all the details and still have to cut some of it short.
And as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman” have proven, you can’t just rely on the drama alone, there needs to be a strong soundtrack, which Madonna has in spades. Just using her #1 hits, there’s plenty to fill a feature.
Of course, there are no plans, as of yet, for Madonna’s story to be tackled by Fletcher. But if you’re a major studio looking for a big hit, this sounds like a no-brainer.