Star child, pop princess, subject of a conservatorship for over a decade… Britney Spears has been under constant media scrutiny since the beginning of her career. Revealed to the public at just 11 years old, the singer shares the story of her life in the autobiographical book “The Woman in Me.” Published in October 2023 and sold in millions of copies, the story will soon be adapted to film by Universal Studios.
She is undoubtedly the most well-known pop singer in the world. At 42, Britney Spears has experienced the best and worst of the star system.
While in January 2024, she claimed, “I will never return to the music industry!” in a caption of an Instagram post, the American seems determined to make her voice heard once again. The publication of her autobiography “The Woman in Me” in 2023 and the revelations it contained caused a media frenzy.
These reactions are not surprising. Since her career exploded in the 1990s, the performer of “…Baby One More Time” has continuously been the target of detractors and journalists. Joanna Arcieri, a doctoral candidate at the Columbia Journalism School, chose to write her thesis on the media coverage of Britney Spears and the #FreeBritney movement.
American journalist Aimee Levitt relied on this work to trace the different eras of the star’s life, putting them in parallel with the various media contexts surrounding them.
What stands out most is how the media institutions collectively mistreated her, even as the star showed all the symptoms of declining mental health.
The Revenge of a Blonde
After several years of legal battles to end the conservatorship orchestrated by her father Jamie Spears, Britney Spears seems eager to regain control over the narrative of her life. This will be done through the publication of her memoirs titled “The Woman in Me.”
Described as “a story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope,” the book follows the singer’s meteoric rise but also her descent into more difficult times over its 300 pages.
Several documentaries had already focused on her journey, such as “Britney vs Spears” on Netflix, but for the first time, the singer tells her story in her own words.
A decision that seems to have been financially successful as well, as the American reportedly earned 15 million dollars for signing her contract with the publishing house Simon & Schuster.
From Bookstores to Cinema
Britney Spears’ story seems destined to gain even more momentum. On Thursday, August 1, it was revealed that a film adaptation project was already in the works, less than a year after the book’s publication.
After intense bidding, Universal Pictures obtained the adaptation rights. The production company is no stranger to biopics and is notably behind “8 Mile” (2002), a film about the rapper Eminem that generated over 250 million dollars worldwide. The studio is also preparing a feature film on Snoop Dogg and the singer Prince, who passed away in 2021.
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
While the name of the actress who will play Britney Spears has not yet been revealed, the project has already found its director. Jon M. Chu, who notably directed the musical “Wicked,” will helm the biopic. He will work alongside producer Marc Platt, a highly renowned figure in the film industry who has helped launch famous filmmakers such as Damien Chazelle, the Franco-American director of “La La Land.”
Although the film does not yet have a release date, it is likely to achieve the same success as the book it is based on. The public rushed to bookstores upon the publication of the singer’s memoirs, resulting in the sale of 2.4 million physical copies in less than a week.
From her iconic performance at the VMAs in 2001 to her relationship with singer Justin Timberlake and her 13 years under conservatorship, the adaptation of “The Woman in Me” promises to be filled with emotions and significant moments.
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