Fans of Aretha Franklin have long been excited for a biopic on the late great artist to hit the screens.
Now, the first full trailer for Respect has been released.
The first teaser trailer for the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect has been released, and boy, does it look amazing.
None other than Jennifer Hudson will be starring as the Queen of Soul in the new film, with the musician handpicked by Franklin herself before she passed away in August of 2018. On the opportunity to play Franklin, Hudson stated:
“It is an absolute honour to be a part of bringing Ms Franklin’s story to audiences who adore her around the world. She is one of the most iconic and talented artists of all time, and what a dream come true it is to portray her extraordinary life on screen.”
The film is set to follow “the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international stardom.” Apart from her incredible and expansive career in music, Franklin was also heavily involved in civil rights and women’s rights activism.
Throughout her career, Franklin recorded a total of 112 charted singles in the US, breaking the record for the most charted female artist in history. After she left Atlantic Records and signed with Arista Records, she found success with her role in the film The Blues Brothers. She has been celebrated by many as an artist and inspiration who helped “define the American experience.”
In addition to Hudson, who will also be singing on the official soundtrack, the film will also star Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Mary J. Blige, Marc Maron, Titus Burgess, and Tate Donovan. While the release date was pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Respect is set for release in January 2021. Watch the new trailer below.
