‘Respect’ Trailer: Jennifer Hudson Demands Your Respect As The “Queen Of Soul” Aretha Franklin

That the Queen of Soul herself, the late Aretha Franklin, is getting her own biopic isn’t a big surprise. The problem, of course, is finding someone who can match her amazing vocal talent, which is why the film Respect stars Grammy and Oscar-winning singer Jennifer Hudson.

Respect is based on the title of Franklin’s unforgettable hit song, and charts the course of a career that led her to be the first female ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. The film seems to be following the standard music biopic model, but the timing on this one couldn’t be better as Franklin saw her rise to fame in the turbulent 1960s. “You have to disturb the peace, when you can’t get no peace”, she can be heard saying in this new teaser.

Joining Hudson in the cast are Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Heather Headley, Marc Maron, Tate Donovan, and Titus Burgess. Good lord, between Hudson, McDonald, and Blige you’ve got some of the most talented singers of the screen and stage altogether in one place. Hudson is coming off her unfortunate, yet powerfully-voiced role in Cats. She won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls.

Directed by Liesl Tommy, Respect opens this December.

 

Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.