Sparkle, the remake of the 1976 film starring Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston, will be novelized by Simon & Schuster and adapted for the Broadway stage with executive producer Howard Rosenman, the Hollywood Reporter confirms.
The book will come out on August 7, 10 days before Sparkle’s theatrical release.
Rosenman also is teaming with Joel Schumacher to add five new songs to those by Curtis Mayfield (in the original) and R. Kelly (in the 2012 version) for a full-blown Broadway musical interpretation of Sparkle.
The producer also revealed Houston’s personal connection to the 1976 classic, about an overbearing stage mother and her talented daughters. He says Houston was influenced by the original movie as a girl and once went to see it every day for a week when she was a teenager. It apparently helped plant the dream in her to become a singer.
Sparkle will be in theaters on August 17.
Rosenman said he’s seen footage from the film and is very excited about this remake, believing the he has a definite hit on his hands, and adding that Whitney Houston is “very good” in it.
“And I can tell you this one is so much better. And people will be blown away by Whitney. She sings gospel, and she’s phenomenal… And believe me, we didn’t need this publicity. I’d rather have her back right now,” Rosenman said.
Sources: Shadow & Act, The Hollywood Reporter
