Jennifer Hudson is Aretha Franklin in Respect Teaser

December 20, 2019

MGM has released the first teaser for director Liesl Tommy’s forthcoming Aretha Franklin biopic film Respect, giving us our first official look at Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as The Queen of Soul. Starring an award-winning ensemble cast also led by Forest Whitaker and Mary J. Blige, the film will be making its debuts in theaters on October 9, 2020. Check out the Respect teaser below, along with the poster in the gallery!

Respect will follow the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom. The film is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to finding her voice. Marking the first authorized feature film based on Franklin’s life, the movie directed by Tony-nominee Liesl Tommy (Broadway’s Eclipsed) and is written by Emmy-nominee Tracey Scott Wilson (The Americans, Fosse/Verdon).

Hudson, who was personally hand-picked by Franklin to play her in the film, is joined by Forest Whitaker as Reverand C.L. Franklin, Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Audra McDonald as Barbara Siggers Franklin, Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington, Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler, Tituss Burgess as James Cleveland, Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin, Hailey Kilgore as Carolyn Franklin, Tate Donovan as John Hammond, and Skye Dakota Turner.

The producers are Scott Bernstein (Straight Outta Compton) and multiple Grammy-nominated producer Harvey Mason Jr.(Dreamgirls), who has produced music for both Aretha Franklin and Jennifer Hudson. The film will begin shooting on November 1 and will be released domestically via UA on August 14, 2020. The movie will be distributed internationally by Universal Pictures International.

Respect will exclusively feature the iconic songs: Respect; I Say A Little Prayer; Think; (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman; You’ve Got A Friend; Dr. Feelgood; Do Right Woman, Do Right Man; Spanish Harlem; and Young, Gifted and Black. The film will also feature Ain’t No Way; Precious Lord; There’s A Fountain Filled With Blood; Amazing Grace; and Chain of Fools.