Sofia Coppola expresses wish to make Britney Spears movie

Sofia Coppola just admitted that she "would love to" make a movie about Britney Spears.

The Hollywood director has admitted she's become fascinated as well as inspired with the pop star's life story - reading her memoir The Woman In Me and re-watching her old interviews.

Speaking about the notorious pictures of Spears with a shaved head bashing a paparazzi's car with an umbrella during a public breakdown in 2007, Coppola told ELLE magazine: "I thought it was such a punk moment... She’s become this symbol of women’s rights. That would never happen to a man."

When asked about a movie version of the singer's life, the director admits she fears Wicked director Jon Chu has beaten her to the Britney story.

She said: "Supposedly Jon Chu is doing it, but I hope - yeah, I would love to do that story,” adding, "I try not to analyze it too much, when I’m into something".

Elsewhere in the interview, Coppola also revealed she has shelved her new Kirsten Dunst movie because "it felt too sad."

She had been planning to reunite with the actress - who she previously worked with on The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette and The Beguiled - for the mysterious project which was said to tell the story of a real life historical figure.

However, Sofia Coppola told ELLE: "It felt too sad. It’s confusing in these dark times. I want to offer some hope and beauty in the world, but then you also don’t want to do something shallow, because it feels like a time for deep things."