The first trailer for MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic, RESPECT has arrived, giving us the first glimpse of Jennifer Hudson portraying the legendary soul singer. The film was directed by Liesl Tommy, and Hudson was hand-picked for the role by Franklin herself before she died in 2018.

The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas late 2020, and while the trailer doesn’t give much away, it is fittingly slick and impactful, styled in black and gold as Hudson belts out the Queen of Soul’s signature tune – “Respect” – with a powerhouse vocal.  

RESPECT [MGM]

RESPECT will follow Franklin’s rise to superstardom, from her childhood singing gospel songs in her father’s Baptist church to her rise as one of the most iconic artists in music.

In an interview with People, Jennifer Hudson spoke about what it was like to portray her idol, saying she hopes to make the late icon “proud.”

“Those are huge shoes to fill,” she said. “I am just taking it one step at a time, one day at a time. All I want to do is pay tribute to her and meet her requests, you know? Like, ‘Aretha said do this?’ … ‘Yes, ma’am.'”

Aretha Franklin was a transformative cultural icon who broke almost every boundary and bridged so many gaps. In 1987, Aretha Franklin made history as the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Listen to our I Like: Aretha Franklin playlist on Spotify:

Listen to the Aretha Franklin Essentials on Apple Music: