According to the release, Hudson was “personally hand-picked” by Franklin, who passed away in 2018, to play her in the movie.
In a project that sounds like an enormous hit in the making, MGM has announced via press release that they’ve begun work on an authorized biographical film about the life of Aretha Franklin — who will be played by Jennifer Hudson.
Respect begins filming on November 1 and will open in theaters on August 14, 2020.