Universal's planned biopic based on Britney Spears's memoir, The Woman In Me, has recruited Liz Meriwether — the creator of the sitcom New Girl — as its screenwriter. The appointment marks the first significant update since 2024, when it emerged that Spears had sold the rights to her memoir and that Marc Platt would produce with Jon M. Chu directing. It matters as a concrete sign that one of the most anticipated music biopics is moving forward.

The news was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, with Universal yet to comment. Spears's memoir was a major success, its audiobook — narrated by actress Michelle Williams — becoming the fastest-selling in Simon & Schuster's history. Williams and Meriwether had previously worked together on the FX miniseries Dying For Sex. The update also offers a more positive Spears headline than recent coverage of a DUI incident.