Britney Spears biopic taps New Girl creator Liz Meriwether as screenwriter

Liz Meriwether will write the screenplay for Britney Spears' upcoming biopic based on The Woman in Me memoir

Universal Pictures has officially enlisted acclaimed writer and producer Liz Meriwether to pen the screenplay for its upcoming Britney Spears biopic, based on the pop icon's bestselling memoir, The Woman in Me.

Meriwether, best known for creating the hit sitcom New Girl and co-creating the acclaimed FX series Dying for Sex, joins a creative team led by director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt. The project was first announced in 2024 after Universal secured the film rights to Spears' memoir, which became an international bestseller following its release in October 2023.

The Woman in Me sold more than 1.1 million copies during its first week on sale, while its audiobook, narrated by Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams with an introduction by Spears, became the fastest-selling audiobook in Simon & Schuster's history. The memoir offers an intimate account of Spears' life, career, conservatorship and journey toward personal freedom, making it one of the most widely discussed celebrity books in recent years.

Meriwether brings extensive experience adapting complex, character-driven stories. She earned Writers Guild of America and Producers Guild of America recognition for her work on Dying for Sex and The Dropout, the latter chronicling the rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Her television credits have also earned multiple Primetime Emmy nominations.

While Universal has not revealed casting details or a production timeline, anticipation for the Britney Spears biopic continues to grow. Spears previously teased the project on social media, expressing excitement about working with Marc Platt, whose productions she described as some of her favourite films.

The biopic is expected to chronicle Spears' extraordinary rise to global superstardom while exploring the deeply personal events detailed in her bestselling memoir.