Aretha Franklin’s musical legacy spans over 50 years and now the iconic singer is ready to share her story with the world. According to Madame Noire, it has been confirmed that there is an Aretha Franklin biopic in the works and it looks like the upcoming film is a little past the preliminary stages. It has been reported that the “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” singer has already chosen a singer to portray her in the film. Several news outlets have confirmed that Aretha Franklin has handpicked Jennifer Hudson for the role.
Greatness In The Making:
Although the film has not yet reached production stage, reports suggest that production will begin shortly. On January 27, Deadline revealed that Clive Davis had quite a bit to say about the Queen of Soul during his annual pre-Grammy party. The famed music mogul announced Jennifer Hudson would be starring as Aretha Franklin in the upcoming biopic. The publication also revealed MGM had rights to produce and finance the project.
Deadline also published a few more details about the upcoming film:
Producing the film will be Straight Outta Compton‘s Scott Bernstein and music producer Harvey Mason Jr., who has worked with Franklin and also produced music for the film Dreamgirls, on which Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, alongside Beyonce. Hudson has gone on to a strong career that included the premiere of Monster, which premiered in Sundance.
The latest reports about Aretha Franklin’s upcoming biopic follow a string of reports about Franklin’s concerns about the film. At the time, she made it clear that her biggest concern was accuracy in regards to the depiction of events in her life, reports Vulture. “Let’s present the facts and be as creative as possible with them.” Even then, Jennifer Hudson was rumored to be the singer Aretha Franklin had in mind for the starring role.
A Potential Win For Jennifer Hudson:
We all know Jennifer Hudson is no stranger to the big screen. Starring alongside Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Anika Noni Rose, the famed singer rose to stardom with the role of Effie White in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls. Her stunning performance of Jennifer Holliday’s “And I Am Telling You” is still considered one of the greatest performances of her career. With the role in Aretha Franklin’s biopic, Jennifer Hudson may actually have a shot at surpass ing the level of success she garnered with the Dreamgirls role. Congratulations to Jennifer Hudson.
