Universal Pictures has landed the rights to Britney Spears’ bestselling memoir, The Woman in Me. Jon M. Chu, whose Wicked is about to be released through the studio, is attached to develop, along with Marc Platt, his collaborator on Wicked and the producer of La La Land.
The book has been the subject of intense competition in Hollywood. Previously, it was reported that there was interest from Shonda Rhimes, Brad Pitt’s Plan B, and Margot Robbie. Sony, Warner Brothers, Fox, Disney, and Netflix all vied for the project as well.
But on Thursday, Spears shared the news of the “secret project” with fans, revealing that Platt, who has “always made [her] favorite movies,” will be the one she’s collaborating with.
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 🌹🎥
— Britney Spears 🌹🚀 (@britneyspears) August 1, 2024
The movie, untitled at this point, will be based on Spears’ memoir, which has sold 2.5 million copies worldwide. It revealed, for the first time, Spears’ incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with candor and humor, Spears’s book illuminated the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms. The book was published in October 2023 and quickly rocketed to No. 1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.
No casting announcements have been revealed yet.
Sony, Warner Brothers, Fox, Disney and Netflix all fought for the rights to Britney Spears’ biopic movie.
Universal Pictures secured the rights for a whopping eight figures. pic.twitter.com/lYTh1ys6Fg
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) August 1, 2024
Marc Platt wasn’t always a producer; he pivoted from acting to producing early in his career, realizing he felt more creatively stimulated by the work behind the scenes.
“I realized being a producer was a very exciting thing. It satisfied my creative needs, it let me be in control, and it allowed me to satisfy the business side that interested me,” he told The Pennsylvania Gazette. “Dealing with lots of people and having a very large vision of something—I found that more satisfying than being an actor.”
He attended New York University School of Law after graduating from college and went on to work as an attorney in entertainment law for Sam Cohn, a top Hollywood agent at the time.
Universal Pictures has acquired the movie rights to Britney Spears’ ‘The Woman in Me’ along with her music catalog for a reported eight figures.
It will be directed by Jon M. Chu (‘Wicked’) and produced by Marc Platt (‘La La Land’). (Via The Ankler) pic.twitter.com/ONVw7ptaXM
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) August 1, 2024
Marc went on to land top positions at several distribution companies—first, as Vice President at RKO Pictures, and later as President of Orion Pictures, and eventually Universal Studios.
He founded his own production company, Marc Platt Productions, and has earned a slew of awards — one Golden Globe, two Tonys, two Primetime Emmys, and three Academy Award nominations among them. He has been a creative force behind a string of hit movies, including Legally Blonde, Sleepless in Seattle, Jerry Maguire, La La Land, and more.
Most notably, he produced the mega-hit Wicked, which he brought to Broadway in 2003 and has remained one of the top-grossing shows ever since.
