See Whitney Houston’s Rise to Stardom In I Wanna Dance With Somebody Trailer

Watch the powerful first look of Sony’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the story of icon Whitney Houston coming to the big screen Dec. 21.

By Vivian Kwarm Sep 16, 2022 12:41 AMTags
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The greatest love of all is happening to us. 

That's right, it's the sneak peek of Sony's biopic detailing the life of the beloved icon Whitney Houston. The powerful trailer for I Wanna Dance With Somebody released on Sept. 15, teases actress Naomi Ackie's portrayal of the legendary singer. 

The first look starts off by showing us how it all began as Clive Davis arrives at a club where he hears the vocal powerhouse for the first time. He asks, "What's your name again?", before signing her to his record label Columbia Records. (Fun fact: the real Clive Davis is a producer for the film.)

Whitney's rise to fame is quick. Case in point: The trailer highlights when she hears her voice on the radio for the first time.

"My dream, sing what I want to sing," Whitney expresses, "be how I want to be, reach as big an audience as I can."

Little did she know that would be just a fraction of her accomplishments, including her iconic performance of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 Super Bowl—which we also get a glimpse of in the promo. 

But all this didn't come without its critics. In fact, one scene show Whitney being told that her music "isn't Black enough."

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2022 TV Premiere Dates

Her response? "Look I don't know how to sing black and I don't know how to sing white either. I know how to sing."  

We can expect a "no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice," according to the official synopsis, "audiences are taken on an inspirational, poignant—and so emotional—journey through Houston's trailblazing life and career."

I Wanna Dance With Somebody premieres exclusively in movie theaters Dec. 21.