Sony’s TriStar Pictures has won the rights to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, a Whitney Houston biopic which is most definitely sure to be a big, big thing. A movie based on the acclaimed, late singer has been wanted by Hollywood for years now, especially after the success of other musical biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman.
The film is already scheduled for a Thanksgiving, 2022 release date which only further ensures its success. It’ll be directed by Stella Meghie (The Photograph, The Weekend) with a script by Anthony McCarten.
No actress has been tapped to play the legendary singer but you can bet whoever lands the role is in for a slew of praise and possible awards. McCarten’s previous scripts include Darkest Hour, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Theory of Everything. The stars of each of those movies (Gary Oldman, Rami Malek and Eddie Redmayne, respectively) all won Oscars for their performances. McCarten definitely knows how to craft a character-driven biopic that the Academy loves. Whoever gets cast as Houston better start thinking of what she’ll wear to the Oscars.
Houston’s story is definitely worthy of a film. She skyrocketed to fame at a young age because of her incredible, unparalleled voice. She was a bonafide star with success both in music and film. But her life was filled lots of trouble too, including spousal issues with Bobby Brown and drug use. Her life ended tragically back in 2012 when she was only 48 years old. If there’s a performer who deserves the big-screen treatment, it’s Houston.
Producers promise that I Wanna Dance With Somebody won’t shy away from the darker side of Houston’s life. They are promoting the picture as a “joyous, emotional and heart-breaking celebration of the life and music of the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom. While being very frank about the price that super-stardom exacted, it will be both the rich and complex saga of the search for the perfect marriage between song and singer and audience, and at the same time the moving tale of a simple Jersey girl trying to find her way back home.”
Yeah, audiences are going to absolutely love this thing.