Show some ‘Respect’: Watch Aretha Franklin’s biopic trailer now

We are only a day or so removed from the first trailer of Jennifer Hudson’s Respect, a biographical music drama surrounding the life of Aretha Franklin, who’s perhaps the greatest soul singer to have ever walked the Earth. Respect is what we notably give Aretha Franklin, however, given the quality of this first trailer, perhaps “respect” should be given towards this film as well.

The film, which is set to star Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin, features an impressive supporting cast including the likes of Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Tate Donovan, Tituss Burgess, and Mary J. Blige. Respect will be helmed by Liezel Tommy, making her directorial debut with this feature. Have you had a chance to check out the trailer for Respect? If not, check out the trailer below. 

Respect is only the latest trailer to drop amidst a slew of impressive trailer debuts in these past few weeks, giving moviegoers a reason to be excited about returning to the theaters and witnessing these incredible feats of storytelling. Given our own impressions of the Respect trailer, it’s clear that the entire creative team have managed to capture the spirit & legacy of Aretha Franklin, even within its two-minute trailer run time. 

Respect

Respect is set to be released in theaters on August 13th, 2021 by United Artists Releasing. The film, which was written by Tracy Scott Wilson, will tell the story of soul icon Aretha Franklin, famous for hit singles including “A Natural Woman”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Dr. Feelgood”, “Think”, “Day Dreaming”, and, of course, “Respect”. 

Respect was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia in the fall of 2019, and concluded its production in February, 2020. The film was originally set for a theatrical debut around Christmas time 2020, albeit with a limited release, expected to hit most U.S. theaters by early January 2021. However, given the complications of the current global pandemic, Respect, like most films, shuffled around a few times before landing on its final date. 

A biopic about Aretha Franklin has been in the works for years, with Aretha Franklin supposedly wanting to be involved in the project involving her life story. However, very early into pre-production Aretha Franklin passed away in the summer of 2018 due to a tumor. Hopefully, Respect will do justice to the legendary soul performer.

Hudson’s perfect casting

While she may not have the deepest IMDb page, singer & actress Jennifer Hudson has seemingly nailed every role she’s ever been cast in –  yes, we’re even giving her major props for her turn as Grizabella in the 2019 film disaster adaptation of Broadway’s Cats. 

Jennifer Hudson, who first made waves in the music world after her top 10 run on the third season of American Idol, first turned audience’s heads after her film debut in 2006 Dreamgirls, starring alongside Beyoncé Knowles & Eddie Murphy. Hudson even went on to win best-supporting actress for her work in the film. What an incredible start!

Hudson then went on to land multiple supporting roles, specifically in films such as Sex and the City, The Secret Life of Bees, and Chi-Raq. She even nailed her role as Motormouth Maybelle in the 2018 NBC Hairspray Live! special, which featured Ariana Grande, Kristin Chenoweth, Dove Cameron, Martin Short, Derek Hough, and Harvey Fierstein. We simply couldn’t be happier that she’s playing Aretha Franklin! It’s perfect. 

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What are your thoughts on the latest Respect trailer? Were you a big fan of Aretha Franklin and her music? How perfect does this cast look? What is your favorite biographical musical drama? Comment below and let us know your thoughts.