Whitney Houston: ‘no holds barred’ biopic in the works from Clive Davis

I Wanna Dance with Somebody will be written by the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of The Two Popes and involve input from the singer’s estate

Whitney Houston’s life is set to be the subject of a big-screen biopic from the Grammy-winning producer Clive Davis and the singer’s estate.

According to Deadline, the film, to be called I Wanna Dance with Somebody, will be scripted by Anthony McCarten, who will also act as producer. McCarten has received Oscar nominations for his screenplays for the fact-based dramas The Two Popes and The Theory of Everything. His writing credits also include Bohemian Rhapsody and Darkest Hour.

In a new statement, he claims that McCarten has committed to a “no holds barred, musically rich screenplay that finally reveals the whole Whitney”.

The project will also be produced by Pat Houston, the singer’s manager and sister-in-law, who will act on behalf of the estate. She has promised an “uplifting and inspiring” film. No director has been confirmed yet but producers are negotiating with Stella Meghie, who recently made the romantic drama The Photograph.

A recent tour, backed by the estate, featuring a hologram of the singer was widely criticised, with the Guardian’s Dave Simpson calling it “deeply unsettling” and Entertainment Weekly’s Emma Madden describing it as “tacky”.

The film is the latest in an ever-expanding subgenre that’s seen a resurgence after the box office success of Bohemian Rhapsody, which made more than $900m worldwide. Upcoming musical biopics include Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin, and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

From Benjamin Lee at the Guardian

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