Last year (2018), it was announced that Jennifer Hudson had been cast to play Aretha Franklin in a biopic of the late soul legend. In fact, Franklin picked her back in 2016, as confirmed in an interview with People. “I’ve talked to the person that is going to play me,” Franklin said. “I’m not going to say who I chose, but I’ve talked to her and she’s ready and I’m happy with her.”
Now, MGM has just released the first teaser trailer of the biopic, Respect. In it, we see Hudson as Franklin singing “Respect.”
The film follows the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom. The cast includes Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, and Mary J. Blige. The film was directed by Liesl Tommy, and is due in theaters October 9, 2020.