Madonna to direct own biopic

NEW YORK — Madonna has revealed that her next project will be the movie of her life -- and the final product should meet with her approval as she is bringing it to the screen herself. 

The 62-year-old Material Girl, whose four-decade career as a singer, actress and cultural touchstone has taken in sex, religion and other traditional taboos, will direct the biopic, according to a statement from movie studio Universal. 

Madonna will also co-write, with Diablo Cody who won an Oscar for the screenplay of coming-of-age dramedy "Juno" (2007). 

"I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer -- a human being," Madonna said in a statement posted to her website. 

"The focus of this film will always be music," she added. "Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive."  

The entertainer enthused about "so many untold and inspiring stories" from her "roller coaster" life and asked, "who better to tell it than me?" 

Universal's Donna Langley described the Michigan native -- real name Madonna Louise Ciccone -- as "the ultimate icon."

"With her singular gift of creating art that is as accessible as it is boundary-pushing, she has shaped our culture in a way very few others have," Langley said.

Madonna, responsible for hits such as "Like a Prayer," "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin," is one of the most prolific artists of her time, having sold 335 million albums. 

She made her film debut in 1985's "Desperately Seeking Susan" and won the Best Actress Golden Globe for 1996's "Evita" before directing and co-writing "W.E." in 2011. 

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