A Whitney Houston biopic is on the way from the writer of Bohemian Rhapsody

Publish Date
Friday, 1 May 2020, 8:46PM

Following the success of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, a Whitney Houston biopic is now on the way!

While February marked eight years since the legendary singer passed away, fans will soon be able to get a more up-close-and-personal look at her life in a "no-holds-barred" biopic, titled I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

The film, which the late singer's estate has given its support to, has got Bohemian Rhapsody screenwriter Anthony McCarten on board to pen the script.

McCarten is a specialist in writing movies about historical figures, earning Oscar nominations for The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour and The Two Popes, as well as Bohemian Rhapsody.

He is currently at work on a Bee Gees movie and a stage musical focused on Neil Diamond, but Houston will be the first female icon he has taken on.

McCarten has vowed to "authentically" tell the late singer's story, following her death in 2012 aged 48.

He said in a statement: "We are incredibly lucky to have the support and input of many of the key people who knew Whitney the best and who were there at the time, in the making of this film.

"I am working closely with all of them, to authentically tell the extraordinary story of a peerless talent, taken from us too soon."

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Music producer Clive Davis - who mentored the 'I Will Always Love You' hitmaker on her rise to fame - said he was "very disappointed" with two documentaries (2017's Whitney: Can I Be Me and 2018's Whitney) about the superstar, but believes that Whitney's full story will be allowed come through in this movie.

He said: "From all my personal and professional experience with Whitney from her late teenage years to her tragic premature death, I know the full Whitney Houston story has not yet been told.

"I am so glad that Anthony McCarten has committed to a no-holds-barred, musically-rich screenplay that finally reveals the whole Whitney whose vocal genius deeply affected the world while she fiercely battled the demons that were to be her undoing."

It's not yet known who will direct the film, but Stella Meghie is said to be in "advanced talks" to land the job.

Over the course of a musical career spanning more than 30 years, the songstress sold more than 200 million records worldwide and won six Grammys, 16 Billboard Music Awards, and two Emmys.

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