Sydney Sweeney Tipped to Play Britney Spears in New Biopic, Claims Insider: 'She Has the Profile and Range'

Sydney Sweeney is said to have emerged as the leading contender to play Britney Spears in a revived Universal Pictures biopic, with the project moving forward again after months of uncertainty over its direction and the singer's involvement.

OK! can reveal the upcoming and long-awaited film, which will be based on Spears' bestselling memoir The Woman in Me, is being developed by Universal with Wicked director Jon M. Chu attached to direct and New Girl creator Liz Meriwether writing the screenplay.

Sweeney, 28, is reportedly being considered for the lead role alongside Millie Bobby Brown, Addison Rae, Bailee Madison and Kylie Schultz.

A Hollywood source exclusively told us: "Sydney has become one of the names generating the strongest interest. There is no final decision, but she has the profile, range and familiarity with Britney's image that make her an obvious person for the filmmakers to consider. Millie has also been very open about how much the role would mean to her, while Addison, Bailee and Kylie remain part of the wider conversation."

Our insider added: "The bigger change is that the movie itself has found a clearer creative path. Britney had understandable reservations about reopening intensely personal periods of her life, but discussions have become more productive. The intention is to tell the story from her perspective, with the difficult family dynamics and the restrictions she experienced sitting alongside the scale, excitement and cultural impact of her music."

Spears, 44, is expected to have significant input into the adaptation, which will trace her rise from young performer to global pop phenomenon and examine the 13-year conservatorship overseen by her father, Jamie Spears, 74.

The arrangement ended in 2021 after a high-profile legal battle.

Liz recently described Britney's 2023 memoir as emotionally powerful.

She said: "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 added Britney's words "broke my heart in so many ways" and said she had been revisiting music from the singer's breakthrough era while preparing to write.

Liz 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."

Millie has previously spoken about wanting to portray Britney.

Chatting to Drew Barrymore, she said: "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."

Music is expected to be central to the film, with Britney's catalog providing the backdrop to the story.

Songs including ..."Baby One More Time," "Oops!... I Did It Again" and "Toxic" are intended to accompany the account of Britney's fame, family conflict and search for independence.

Jon has stressed the adaptation remains at an early stage and that Britney's experiences require sensitivity.

He said: "We are at the beginning of that process and we just want to right and tell the story that deserves. So we will take it step by step. I think that the way is slowly and empathetically."