Legendary record executive Clive Davis and the estate of Whitney Houston are teaming up to produce a feature film about the late singer known as ‘The Voice’.
The film that is currently going by I Wanna Dance With Somebody will be directed by Stella Meghie (The Photograph). The script will be penned by Bohemian Rhapsody’s Anthony McCarten.
Producers on board include Primary Wave Music’s Larry Mestel, Denis O’Sullivan, Houston’s sister-in-law and former manager Pat Houston and McCarten.
The ideation of the film formulated when Davis presented the project to McCarten.
“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,” said the longtime Columbia Records executive in a statement. “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.”
Casting has yet to reveal the actors attached to the production. However, the film will be sure to explore both Houston’s public persona and personal life.
Back in 2015, Lifetime released an unauthorized biopic, Whitney, with Yaya DaCosta playing the singer, opposite Arlen Escarpeta as Bobby Brown.
Later in 2018, a documentary by the same name was theatrically released. A worldwide superstar and singing phenomenon, Houston led a career that spanned 25 years, selling more than 200 million records.
The Newark, New Jersey native would go on to win six Grammys, 16 Billboard Music Awards and be certified platinum 26 times and gold 14 times.
Houston died at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA on February 11, 2012.
