Whitney Houston biopic written by Bohemian Rhapsody’s screenwriter is moving ahead at Sony Tristar

After the immense success of recent Oscar-winning musical biopics like Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody, it was only a matter of time before a film about the life of Whitney Houston would come along.

And now, after an intense bidding war between various studios and streaming platforms, Sony’s TriStar Pictures has won the rights for the biopic of the life and tragic death of the legendary songstress, Deadline reports.

The project, titled I Wanna Dance With Somebody, was penned by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten, who is one of the hottest scribes in Hollywood today.

After an intense bidding war: Sony’s TriStar Pictures has won the rights for the biopic of the life and tragic death of legendary songstress Whitney Houston; seen here in June 2001

McCarten has a knack for writing acclaimed biopics – he is the screenwriter responsible for Darkest Hour, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Theory Of Everything.

All three of those films – about the lives of Winston Churchill, Freddie Mercury and Stephen Hawking, respectively – led to major Oscar wins in the acting category for Gary Oldman, Rami Malek and Eddie Redmayne.

Himself a four-time Academy Award nominee, McCarten reportedly self-financed a life rights option to be able to tell Whitney’s story, and he wrote the script on spec while also lining up the rights to be able to include Houston’s unforgettable music. 

Unparalleled vocalist: The project, titled I Wanna Dance With Somebody, was penned by screenwriter Anthony McCarten, who wrote Bohemian Rhapsody; Whitney seen in 1996

Unparalleled vocalist: The project, titled I Wanna Dance With Somebody, was penned by screenwriter Anthony McCarten, who wrote Bohemian Rhapsody; Whitney seen in 1996

Whitney, regarded as the most awarded female singer in history, tragically died of a drug overdose and drowning at age 48 in 2012.

The fact that her family and estate are on board and a part of I Wanna Dance With Somebody is huge, as that has historically been the largest hurdle for many a biopic to clear before entering production.

Legendary record producer Clive Davis, who was one of Whitney’s mentors during her life, as well as Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, are signed up as producers on the film, with the latter acting on behalf of the How Will I Know songbird’s estate.

Gone but far from forgotten: Houston, regarded as the most awarded female singer in history, tragically died of a drug overdose and drowning at age 48 in 2012; seen here in 2009

Gone but far from forgotten: Houston, regarded as the most awarded female singer in history, tragically died of a drug overdose and drowning at age 48 in 2012; seen here in 2009

‘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 Davis, 88, of the upcoming film. 

‘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 bravely battled the demons that were to be her undoing.’

The Photograph and Everything, Everything director Stella Meghie is on board to helm the movie, referring to Whitney in a statement as ‘peerless.’ 

With her best interests at heart: Legendary record producer Clive Davis, who was one of Whitney's mentors, and Pat Houston, Whitney's sister-in-law, are signed up as producers on the film

With her best interests at heart: Legendary record producer Clive Davis, who was one of Whitney's mentors, and Pat Houston, Whitney's sister-in-law, are signed up as producers on the film

With her best interests at heart: Legendary record producer Clive Davis, who was one of Whitney’s mentors, and Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, are signed up as producers on the film

‘Her voice continues to give me courage,’ she continued. ‘Thank you to [executives] Tom [Rothman], Josh [Greenstein] and Nicole [Brown] at Sony and TriStar Pictures for joining our team to lift Whitney up with love around the world.’

Now, the question remains as to who will get to portray the legendary vocalist, who won six Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and two Emmy Awards throughout the course of her unparalleled career.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody is currently slated for a Thanksgiving 2022 release date.

And clearly, it is still very much the season for musical biopics – the highly anticipated Aretha Franklin film starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is still on track for a theatrical release, not pushed to January 2021 due to COVID-19.  

Clearly, it is still very much the season for musical biopics: The highly anticipated Aretha Franklin film starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is still on track for a theatrical release

Clearly, it is still very much the season for musical biopics: The highly anticipated Aretha Franklin film starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is still on track for a theatrical release