A Britney Spears biopic is in development after Universal Pictures bought the film rights to the pop star's best-selling memoir.
"Crazy Rich Asians" director John Chu is engaged to direct the film based on Spears' latest autobiographical book, "The Woman In Me," AFP reported.
Universal won a "competitive bid" for the film adaptation rights, with "La La Land" producer Marc Platt set to oversee the project.
"Excited to share with my fans that I'm working on a secret project with Mark Platt. He's always made my favourite movies," Spears herself wrote on social media.
"Stay tuned," she told her fans.
The Woman in Me traces the troubled singer's journey from a child star to a global pop phenomenon, as well as her subsequent public breakdown and legal battles with her father.
Filled with criticism of her controlling family and the industry that ruthlessly gobbles up her talents, the book has sold more than 2.5 million copies in the United States alone since its publication last October.
Spears' phenomenal musical success in the late 1990s with hits like "...Baby One More Time" coincided with an aggressive paparazzi culture that delighted in capturing her partying with stars like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
In the book, Spears reveals that Justin Timberlake wanted her to have an abortion after she became pregnant during their relationship.
She also shared details of her brief but intense affair with Irish actor and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell, which she called a "two-week fling".
After Spears' public meltdown, she was placed under the guardianship of her father, Jamie Spears, who controlled her money and personal life, although the singer continued to perform at a high level.
The guardianship was terminated by a Los Angeles court in 2021 as public support for Free Britney grew.
Her father always said he followed his daughter's best interests and sought to protect her from exploitation.
No release date has been set for the Britney film. Universal has already produced musical biopics for hip-hop group N.W.A ("Straight Outta Compton") and rapper Eminem ("8 Mile").
Chu is also directing the big-budget two-part adaptation of Universal's musical Wicked, with the first film set for release in November. | BGNES
