New ‘Becoming Madonna’ documentary to bring a “fresh perspective on an enduring icon”

A new documentary about Madonna – Becoming Madonna – will bring a  “fresh perspective on an enduring icon”, according to a statement from Sky.

As per Deadline, Sky has green lit a feature that will “chart Madonna’s rise to become the biggest female pop icon in history” via rare footage, unseen photos and “intimate interviews with family, friends and collaborators – some of whom have never spoken in a documentary before.”

The film is described as “an immersive, archive driven film built around a cache of recently uncovered audio tapes in which a young Madonna reflects on her extraordinary life and career.”

The programme will show her rise from a young professional dancer in the late ‘70s to one of the biggest musicians in the world.

A statement read: “When Madonna arrived in New York City from Michigan with dreams of becoming a professional dancer, it was the start of an incredible journey. This film charts the period 1978-1992 as Madonna dramatically transformed herself from insecure 19-year-old outsider to the most controversial pop star in the world, with the astonishing publication of her erotic photography book Sex.

“These were the heady years during which Madonna came of age as a person and an uncompromising artist. Through her fiery conflicts with the conservative establishment in the 80s and 90s, the film powerfully evokes a time where traditional views on sexuality and gender roles were being audaciously challenged and Madonna was always at the vanguard.

“Previously unseen archive sheds new light on the personal tragedies that fuelled Madonna’s drive, re-examining the early death of her mother and those of her dance teacher Christopher Flynn and close friend Martin Burgoyne, both of whom died during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.Through their stories, we see Madonna in a new light: smarter, more radical and more vulnerable than anyone at the time gave her credit for.”

Hayley Reynolds, Sky’s Acting Director of Documentaries and Factual, said in a statement: “Since her debut in the 80s, Madonna has been a powerhouse in pop music and carved the way for many of today’s most popular artists.

“This film brings a fresh perspective on an enduring icon and we’re thrilled to be working alongside Optomen to bring her story to Sky audiences.”

Nick Hornby, Co-CEO of Optomen, added: “We’re so grateful to the team of Sky Documentaries for backing us on such a bold and audacious film.”

Madonna recently shared her frustrations over the development of her long-gestating biopic after meeting with producers and agents in Los Angeles.

Last Monday (November 18), Madonna took to Instagram to share a post about the future of her biopic – titled Who’s That Girl – that has been in the works for four years. She wrote: “After struggling for days in LA, listening to producers and agents tell me why I couldn’t make my film — (I been working on it for 4 years!!!) downsize-down scale – think smaller – they say — I realised that everything in my life is going to be challenged.”

She continued: “I guess I should be grateful.. It forces me to think outside the box. I did not have a normal life. I cannot make this in the normal way… We cannot shrink and make ourselves smaller… Should I make the story of my life into a series or a feature film?”

The update comes after the legendary singer-songwriter revealed in July that the biopic was back in the works after spending some time on the shelf, and that she’s been rewriting the script on her own. She is also set to direct as a way to stop “misogynistic men” from telling her story.

Who’s That Girl is being titled after her 1987 album of the same title – but is not to be confused with her 1987 comedy film that shares the same name. The biopic was initially scrapped in January last year, stating that the reason may be due to her 40th-anniversary ‘Celebration’ tour, which kicked off in July 2023.