Justin Timberlake reportedly hit a breaking point over Britney Spears’ planned biopic as the project moved closer to the screen. As per a new source, the concern centered on how the former boy-band star could be framed in a film based on Spears’ 2023 memoir. The report said that the singer felt the project risked reopening old allegations just as Universal continued developing the movie with director Jon M. Chu attached.
Justin Timberlake doesn’t want Britney Spears’ biopic to paint him as the ‘villain,’ claims source
Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears remained central to the reported tension because the upcoming film drew from her memoir, “The Woman in Me.” As per the Us Magazine report dated March 21, a source said, “Justin is seething about being painted as the villain once again.” The insider added that he did not want “his name dragged through the mud in every multiplex on the planet.” The same report said he had been using some of his industry influence to show how unhappy he was.
Meanwhile, the memoir’s account gave that reported frustration more context. The book portrayed their early 2000s relationship in painful detail. It alleged that the “bye bye bye” hitmaker “slept around,” pressured Spears into an abortion, and ended the relationship by “text message.” Spears also wrote, “When he left me I was devastated.” Then, she added, “I could barely speak for months.” In turn, the report said her love life remained deeply tied to her music story and public image.
Still, the project reportedly kept moving. The report said Universal was not backing away, even after Spears’ March DUI arrest. A source said, “The bosses at Universal are long-term thinkers and can weather Britney’s latest series of problems.”
The insider added, “They want to spend millions of dollars to tell her story.” So, the movie’s momentum reportedly stayed intact. And because Chu was attached after “Wicked,” the stakes looked even bigger. For the ex-NSYNC member, the issue reportedly was not only the past. It was the prospect of watching old dirty laundry retold on a much larger stage.
