MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, originally scheduled for an October 9 debut, will now have a limited release on Christmas Day. The film will then expand in theaters on January 8, with a wide release on January 15, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
Respect is directed by Liesl Tommy and stars Academy Award winnerJennifer Hudson as Franklin, Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin, Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington, and Tituss Burgess as Rev. Dr. James Cleveland.