Crews 
After years of a long awaited Aretha Franklin biopic, it has now been confirmed as of this weekend that is finally happening, and Jennifer Hudson will take the lead role according to Deadline who exclusively reported the news.
Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party is always the hottest ticket before the Grammy Awards. Tonight he dropped an exceptional surprise. Davis tonight introduced Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson to sing a couple songs, and then told the audience that Hudson will be playing Aretha Franklin in an upcoming biopic about the life of the Queen of Soul. Hudson was in fact hand picked by Franklin to play the role. It was appropriate that Davis introduce all this, since he has such a long professional relationship with Franklin. The party began with performances by Barry Manilow, Luis Fonsi, Ben Platt, Alicia Keys, Khalid and Logic. Hudson was the last singer to perform. Hudson sang Franklin classics Think, and Respect as part of her performance.
Deadline has been hearing about a Franklin project that MGM is acquiring and will finance. Franklin’s musical legacy spans six decades, from your first recording as a young gospel singer, to her most recent release, A Brand New Me: Aretha Franklin with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Producing the film will be Straight Outta Compton‘s Scott Bernstein and music producer Harvey Mason Jr., who has worked with Franklin and also produced music for the film Dreamgirls, on which Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, alongside Beyonce. Hudson has gone on to a strong career that included the premiere of Monster, which premiered in Sundance.
This should be interesting!
