A couple of Articles from People.com
Were Liza Minnelli not being accused of having beaten her husband as one might a melted dog, Madonna‘s forthcoming legal wrangle might have been considered the battle of the century. The Material Girl is said to be gearing up for a judicial fistfight with Warner Bros. Records about a divergence of opinion over where her Maverick Records is heading. Maverick and Warner Bros. have been partners in crime (the term applies literally in the case of American Life) for 11 years, but sources close to the singer say things have changed between them – at least as far as her Madge is concerned.
‘They didn’t choose to renegotiate now,’ said a source close to disgruntled Warner execs. ‘There’s been some tension.’ To say the least, according to others, who predict ‘a nuclear lawsuit,’ with the big guns of parent company Time Warner lining up for a shootout. A reason for the impending parting of the ways may be down to a rumour that Time Warner is lining up to sell off the Warner Music Group, leaving a stranger in bed with Madonna. ‘She may think Maverick won’t be worth as much with a new owner,’ said the source. ‘Then there’s the question of who’ll get Maverick’s artists.’ Maveick’s artists aside, Madge herself is signed to the Warner label, which could lead to some interesting new clauses should she lose. No rap, would be a start.
Covering all bases in the event of total musical creativity breakdown, Madonna is continuing her assault on the lucrative kids’ market with an animated film. With The English Roses and another four in the series of subtly kabbalah-flavoured childrens’ books to follow, her Madge is well on the way to becoming the new Enid Blyton (had she any idea who Enid Blyton is). And with The Adventures of Abdey in the pipeline, she may well be able to retire from all pretence of being a musician entirely. ‘I’ve been approached by some people about it and I’m thinking about,’ Madonna said.
What started off as a small animated project is reportedly soon set to become a big-screen cash cow, financial udders plump and waiting to be milked. No news yet on whether the singer intends to give herself a part in the film, though this seems inevitable given her fondness for acting (though it remains ambivalent about her). A couple of years ago Madge was touted to be voicing a character in zoological cartoon Madagascar, possibly playing a hippo in the animated film, which is due to come out in 2005. It isn’t known what role she’ll choose if Abdey comes to fruition – it’s thought she’ll go for something fluffy, not hard-nosed at all.
Source: People.com