What Is Whitney Houston's Biopic Release Date?

We’ve been flush with well-made music biopics on legendary talents as of late. 2018’s Bohemian Rapsody told the story of Queen’s Freddie Mercury, 2019’s Rocketman likewise did the same for Elton John, and most recently, Baz Luhrmann gave us an exhaustive look at Elvis this year. Now the latest musical biopic to be announced is Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and the iconic singer’s story definitely bears telling.

Houston will be played by Naomi Ackie, but her singing voice will still be all Whitney Houston’s original vocals. “When it came to Whitney, we just didn’t think anyone could capture her vocal genius, so it will be the Whitney voice in the film,” executive producer Clive Davis said in an interview with USA Today. So what else is there to know about the film? Well, everything. Check out our guide below to the release date of I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the plot, cast, and trailer.

Release Date

I Wanna Dance With Somebody will be in theaters on December 23. It’ll be exclusively in theaters (at least at first), so just in time for a holiday trip to the movies with the fam.

Cast

The role of Whitney Houston will be played by Naomi Ackie, who you might know from her role as Jannah in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. Stanley Tucci (of the popular Searching For Italy food documentary series) plays music executive Clive Davis, credited with discovering Houston. Also included in the main cast are Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, and Clarke Peters.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody will be directed by Kasi Lemmons (Harriet) and the screenplay was written by Anthony McCarten, who was nominated for an Oscar for Bohemian Rhapsody. Clive Davis executive produced the film.

Plot

The official plot of I Wanna Dance with Somebody calls it, “A powerful and triumphant celebration of the incomparable Whitney Houston.” It elaborates further, adding that, “The film is a no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice. From New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time, audiences are taken on an inspirational, poignant—and so emotional—journey through Houston’s trailblazing life and career, with show-stopping performances and a soundtrack of the icon’s most beloved hits as you’ve never heard them before. Don’t you wanna dance?”