Fresh twist in Britney Spears’ biopic after DUI arrest left it in tatters – and HUGE sex siren set to play pop star

WITH her chart-topping hits and rollercoaster life, Britney Spears’ story has all the ingredients for a gripping musical biopic. But plans for a multi-million-pound movie were left in tatters after her arrest in March for driving under the influence and her subsequent stint in rehab. Britney Spears’ dream biopic was thrown into doubt after her shock DUI arrest and stint in rehab Credit: Getty Britney is pulled over by cops in March Credit: California Highway Patrol Now The Sun can reveal the production is officially back from the brink — and Hollywood’s biggest young stars are vying to play the pop princess on the big screen. Among the top contenders are Sydney Sweeney and Millie Bobby Brown, both said to be desperate to slip into Britney’s famous red latex catsuit. TikTok queen-turned-actress Addison Rae, former child star Bailee Madison and Hollywood newcomer Kylie Schultz are also believed to have thrown their hats into the ring in what insiders describe as a “fiercely contested casting war”. The scramble comes as the project itself has been forced to undergo a creative transformation. The highly-anticipated blockbuster, an adaptation of her bestselling memoir The Woman In Me, first hit problems last year when Britney began to baulk at confronting her own demons on film. Universal Pictures bosses were left sweating over the future of the movie, after paying a reported eight-figure fee for the rights. And her shock DUI arrest earlier this year seemed to hammer the final nail in the coffin. But insiders say the movie has now been salvaged — and it is all down to the success of the recent Michael Jackson biopic. Britney after shaving her head in 2007 Credit: X17 Agency Britney Spears is excited for audiences to hear her story told through her own eyes, insiders say Credit: AFP Michael, which was released in cinemas in April, became the highest-grossing biopic of all time, taking more than $1billion at the global box office. The movie, which ex- plored the complex relationship the Thriller singer had with his father Joe, is said to have struck a chord with Britney, who was kept in a controversial 13-year-long conservatorship by dad Jamie Spears. Director Jon M. Chu, the mastermind behind the Wicked movies, managed to coax the fragile singer back to the negotiating table. He spoke at length with the mother of two about how she truly felt to “switch from being the biggest female pop star on the planet to not being able to leave her home without her father’s permission”. After these conversations, the wheels of the Britney biopic now seem to be turning again. A Hollywood insider revealed: “It has been quite the drama off-screen with this project. “Last year Britney was not really in the right place to discuss what the film could mean, and was also worrying about the impact it could have on her wellbeing. “However, in the wake of her DUI arrest, she has been trying to focus on her business life, and it prompted the conversations to happen.” The source added: “The focus has now shifted to deliver a movie which will mirror aspects of the Michael film, with a star trying to find their freedom while a father comes in and out of their lives at key moments. “Britney is excited to have audiences learn about her experiences through her eyes. Britney at 2000 MTV Video Music Awards Credit: Getty Britney was kept in a controversial 13-year-long conservatorship by dad Jamie Spears Credit: Tim Stewart “For Universal, they have seen how audiences have connected to Michael’s story and they are excited about what this new development can mean.” And according to sources, Chu told studio bigwigs that he plans to deliver a “Britney-fied version of Michael”. The film will aim to give an unflinching portrait of the emotional trauma the pop megastar has suffered, diving headfirst into “the underbelly of a father and daughter’s trials and tribulations”. But it will also act as a glittering “homage to her hits”, with Britney’s music — including Baby One More Time, Oops! . . . I Did It Again and Toxic — acting as the backdrop. “While emotional trauma is a deep underlying theme of the film, the music will also be central to everything,” the insider revealed. “The hope is to truly embrace the power of Britney’s creativity and celebrate her iconic hits.” To bring Chu’s vision to life, Universal recently hired Liz Meriwether, the writer behind hit series New Girl and Dying For Sex, to begin drafting the script. She said last month that she had spoken with the movie bosses “so much” ahead of her first draft. Millie Bobby Brown has made no secret of her dream of playing the superstar Credit: Getty TikTok sensation Addison, a close friend of Britney’s inner circle, has been working overtime to prove her acting chops Credit: Getty Referencing Britney’s 2023 tell-all memoir, Meriwether added: “That audiobook, if people haven’t listened to it, is one of the best audiobooks that’s ever been made. It’s like a monologue.” She went on to say that the superstar’s words “broke my heart in so many ways” and added that she was now listening to Nineties music to immerse herself in Britney’s pop era. She said: “I have been listening to a lot of music that was happening around the time that she was making music. That’s out of necessity. “I just want to get the feeling of that moment in time or just remind myself.” But with the script now under way, the question remains of who will play the troubled singer. Britney herself, who stands to rake in tens of millions in revenue shares from the project on top of her initial £10million deal, will be a hands-on contributor and is said to be deeply involved with the casting process. Euphoria beauty Sydney has emerged as the frontrunner. For her birthday last year, she paid homage to Britney’s look on her 2008 Circus album, wearing an identical silver star dress. But Millie has made no secret of her dream of playing the superstar, telling Drew Barrymore in a TV interview last year: “Growing up in the public eye, watching her videos, watching interviews of her when she young . . . I see the scramble for words. “And I don’t know her, but when I look at pictures of her, I feel like I could tell her story in the right way — and hers only.” Bailee Madison is emerging as a dark horse in the race to play Britney Spears in the pop star’s biopic Credit: Getty Hollywood newcomer Kylie Schultz is also said to be in the race to play Britney Credit: Getty Meanwhile, TikTok sensation Addison, a close friend of Britney’s inner circle, has been working overtime to prove her acting chops. Bailee and Kylie are quietly emerging as dark horses in the race. Whoever wins the role will face an immense challenge to capture Britney’s rise to global domination alongside her harrowing descent into mental health battles and family strife. Director Chu insists that he will treat her story with extreme care, admitting that Britney remains “delicate” and carries profound “trauma with a lot of the subjects that are in the book”. He added: “We are at the beginning of that process and we just want to do her right and tell the story that she deserves. “So we will take it step by step. I think that the way is slowly and empathetically.” Yet while Hollywood now attempts to handle Britney with kid gloves, her conservatorship — which was ended after an intense legal battle in 2021 — and its aftermath have certainly taken their toll. Just last month, Britney wrote on Instagram: “I feel like, still to this day, people don’t realise the real damage that was done to my heart and soul in the conservatorship.” Now, for the first time, she will be able to tell her agonising side of the story. Euphoria beauty Sydney Sweeney has emerged as the frontrunner to bag the role Credit: Cibelle Levi Sydney channels Britney’s look from 2008 Circus album, left