Respect is a 2021 American biographical musical drama film directed by Liesl Tommy (in her feature directorial debut), written by Tracey Scott Wilson and Callie Khouri, based on the life of American singer Aretha Franklin. The film stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin, with Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, and Mary J. Blige in supporting roles. The film follows the first three decades of Franklin's life, from being born as a musical prodigy in an affluent African-American family, the repercussions of losing her mother at age 10 to her arduous rise to international musical stardom, while enduring an abusive marriage, ultimately concluding with the recording of her influential live album Amazing Grace (1972).

A film on Franklin's life was in development for a long time with Franklin herself involved in the pre-production, however the film languished in development hell for years due to lack of finding a suitable candidate. Following release of the musical film Dreamgirls (2006), Franklin asked Hudson to play her but did not finalize her decision until seeing her in the Broadway musical The Color Purple. The film began production in early 2019 and had concluded by February 2020. The film is dedicated to Franklin, who died in 2018.

After much delay and postponement, due to the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic, Respect premiered in Los Angeles on August 8, 2021,^[2] and was released theatrically in the United States on August 13, 2021, by United Artists Releasing, and in other territories by Universal Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances, the film's production values, and costume design, but received criticism for its screenplay and long running time.

In 1952, 10-year-old Aretha Franklin lives with her father C.L., pastor of Detroit’s largest Baptist church, and her siblings Cecil, Erma, and Carolyn. Aretha’s father often has her sing for parties at their home, while her mother Barbara, separated from C.L., encourages her independence. The predatory actions of a family friend, combined with the sudden death of Barbara, traumatizes Aretha, who ceases to speak for weeks until her father demands that she sing at church.

Seven years later, Aretha is a teen mother of two boys, but refuses to name their father. Touring as a gospel singer with family friend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she meets local producer Ted White, but C.L. warns him to stay away. C.L. surprises Aretha with a meeting with Columbia Records executive John Hammond. She accepts a contract to record jazz standards, including "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive."

Four albums later, Aretha lacks a signature hit. At a club, she attempts to honor family friend Dinah Washington by performing one of Dinah’s songs; outraged, Dinah advises Aretha to find songs that move her. Struggling with the controlling influence of her father, Aretha begins a relationship with Ted. She brings him home to meet her family, leading C.L. to nearly shoot him, but announces Ted as her manager.

Two years later, Ted and Aretha are married with a child. After nine albums with no real success, Aretha is dropped by Columbia. Ted secures a deal with veteran producer Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, who introduces her to a group of white musicians in Muscle Shoals in 1967. There, Aretha records "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)", but a jealous Ted becomes violent with her.

Returning to Detroit with a black eye, Aretha reconnects with her family. Realizing her song has been released, becoming her first hit, Aretha takes a more hands-on role in her career. She makes her sisters her new backup singers and, despite their misgivings, reunites with Ted. Aretha and Carolyn are inspired to re-arrange Otis Redding's "Respect"; their version becomes a #1 single, launching Aretha to stardom by her 25th birthday.

At a Detroit concert, Dr. King honors Aretha for her support of the Civil Rights Movement, proclaiming February 16 "Aretha Franklin Day". She has another signature hit, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", but her career is complicated by Ted's increasingly volatile behavior. Embarking on a European tour in 1968, Aretha is confronted with a Time magazine cover story about Ted's abuse, and finally casts him out of her life.

Dating her tour manager Ken Cunningham, Aretha eventually has her fourth child. In the wake of Dr. King's assassination, Aretha's father drunkenly argues with her over the direction of the Movement, telling her that she no longer walks in the Spirit. Aretha continues to release hits but overworks herself, coping with the pressure through alcohol, and rejects her family's attempts to help her.

During a performance in Columbus, Georgia, a drunken Aretha falls from the stage. On a downward spiral and estranged from Ken and her family, she is consoled by a vision of her late mother. Aretha finds the strength to quit drinking, leading Ken to reconcile with her, and returns to her gospel roots. She approaches Wexler with the idea to produce her own gospel album, and he agrees on the condition that the recording of the album be filmed for a documentary.

Beginning rehearsals, Aretha confides in family friend James Cleveland, now a respected gospel artist. The day of the album's recording, her father arrives to reconcile with her. The service begins and, with her family in attendance, Aretha sings her arrangement of the hymn, Amazing Grace. An epilogue reveals Aretha Franklin's legacy as a world-famous artist and the “Queen of Soul”.

• Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin^[7]
  • Skye Dakota Turner as young Aretha
• Forest Whitaker as C. L. Franklin, Aretha's father
• Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Aretha's abusive husband and manager
• Audra McDonald as Barbara Siggers Franklin, Aretha's mother
• Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler
• Albert Jones as Ken Cunningham
• Leroy McClain as Cecil Franklin, Aretha's older brother
• Tituss Burgess as James Cleveland
• Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin, Aretha's older sister
• Hailey Kilgore as Carolyn Franklin, Aretha's younger sister
• Tate Donovan as John Hammond
• Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington
• Kelvin Hair as Sam Cooke
• Myk Watford, as Rick Hall
• Heather Headley as Clara Ward
• Lodric D. Collins as Smokey Robinson^[1]
• Gilbert Glenn Brown as Martin Luther King Jr.
• Brenda Nicole Moorer as Brenda Franklin-Corbett, Aretha's cousin
• Jelani Alladin, as Jason

The project had been long in development, with Jennifer Hudson set to play Aretha Franklin. Franklin herself was involved with the development up until her death on August 16, 2018.^[7] She stated that Hudson would win an Oscar for the portrayal.^[8] In January 2019, Liesl Tommy was set to direct the film.^[9] The rest of the cast was added in October 2019, including Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald and Mary J. Blige.^[1]

In a June 2019 slate deal, MGM added Bron Creative as a co-financing and producing company to this film.^[10] Filming began in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 2, 2019,^[11] and wrapped on February 15, 2020.^[12] Jonathan Glickman, MGM's President of the Motion Picture Group, exited the company on February 1, 2020, with a first-look deal starting with the film.^[13]

Respect premiered in Los Angeles on August 8, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on August 13, 2021.^[19] It was originally scheduled for a limited release on December 25, 2020, followed by an expansion on January 8, 2021, before going wide the following week.^[20] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was switched to a sole wide release on January 15, without a limited release,^[21] before it was delayed again to August 2021. Previous release dates also included August 14, 2020, and October 9.^[22]

The film screened at the 74th Locarno Film Festival, in the Piazza Grande section to be held from August 4 to 14.^[23]