Thursday, March 28, 2024

Whitney Houston Biopic Gets a Studio, After We Told You Exclusively About the Project Last November

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I told you on November 19, 2019 that Anthony McCarten was writing the screenplay for the Whitney Houston biopic. Exclusively.

I told you in April that the movie was a ‘go’ with Clive Davis executive producing. And Stella Meghie directing. Anyone remember that?

Deadline.com is trying to take credit. No.

Now today comes the official word that the movie will come from Sony’s Tri-Star division. It’s set for Christmas 2022. Casting is a long way off. My guess is there will be an unknown playing Whitney. It’s unclear how much editorial control Whitney’s estate– meaning her sister in law, Pat Houston– will exert. Will it be a just big kiss? Or will it tell the truth about how Whitney’s brothers hooked her on drugs?

Will the movie also perpetuate the story from the estate’s documentary that Whitney and one brother were molested by their cousin, Dee Dee Warwick? Dee Dee’s sister, Dionne, will be furious if so. (No one knows if this is true, so, they have to be careful.)

And who will play Clive Davis? When Clive first signed Whitney he was around 50. I think they should get Stanley Tucci, but no one asked me. And Kevin Costner? (Logan Marshall Green, call your agent.)

Titles? You know they want to call it “I Will Always Love You.” Dolly Parton would be thrilled because she’ll get more money for the license if they name the movie after her song. And who will the musical director be? I’m sure David Foster is all over it.  (He probably wants to play himself!)

 

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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