The Bodyguard, the 1992 movie starring Houston and Kevin Costner, was hardly a masterpiece of film-making, but its music – including the iconic ‘I Will Always Love You’ – has cemented it as a beloved fan favorite.
Now, comes news of a remake with Sam Wrench, the director of the 2023 film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, at the helm – sparking furious speculation that Swift herself is going to take the role made famous by Houston.
A music business source tells me the superstar singer is indeed ‘close to signing’ after extensive negotiations covering all aspects of the film – including the music she will write for it, the merchandise it will sell and the actor who will play her love interest.
‘I’m told the deal is almost done,’ says my source – although another insider says that no deal is imminent. A spokesman for Swift declined to comment.
It wouldn’t be the superstar’s first silver-screen role.
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The Bodyguard, the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, included the iconic ‘I Will Always Love You’ in its soundtrack, becoming a beloved fan favorite
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Now comes news of a remake with the director of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour film at the helm – sparking furious speculation that Swift herself is going to take the role
Her previous appearance in a movie – the 2019 mega-flop Cats, for which she played Bombalurina, and co-wrote a song with Andrew Lloyd Webber – hardly pointed to a glittering Hollywood future.
But if Cats became notorious for all the wrong reasons, it didn’t put Swift, 35, off acting.
Asked about future projects in an interview in 2020, she said: ‘if there was something that came up that was really interesting in a different way, that would be cool.’
Swift added: ‘I had a really great time working on that weird-ass movie. I’m not gonna retroactively decide that it wasn’t the best experience. I never would have met Andrew Lloyd Webber or gotten to see how he works, and now he’s my buddy.
‘I got to work with the sickest dancers and performers. No complaints.’
It is understood that Warner Bros – the studio developing the remake of The Bodyguard – wants to recapture the amazing on-screen chemistry Houston had with Costner.
At the time the original movie was made, he was the biggest star in Hollywood and she the biggest female singer on the planet – a title that Swift now surely holds.
So, who might play opposite her – if she signs to the remake?
Big names like Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck or even Tom Cruise, who has a deal with Warner, have all been raised. (Although Cruise’s deal is to develop and produce original films for the studio, so an acting appearance wouldn’t fall under it.)
In the original film, Houston played singer Rachel Marron and Costner was former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, who was hired to protect her from a stalker.
The movie received two Academy Award nominations and featured Houston’s iconic rendition of Dolly Parton’s 1974 ballad ‘I Will Always Love You’ – a worldwide hit that earned Houston two Grammy awards and became her signature song.
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It is understood Warner Bros – the studio developing the remake of The Bodyguard – wants to recapture the amazing on-screen chemistry Houston (pictured) had with her co-star Costner
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Big names like Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck or even Tom Cruise (pictured), who has a deal with Warner, have all been raised
Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner star in ‘The Bodyguard’
Costner and Houston developed such a strong friendship on set that he was one of eight who gave a speech at her funeral in 2012.
Wrench has been announced by Warner as the director of the remake and the script will be written by Jonathan Abrams, who penned last year’s Clint Eastwood film, Juror #2.
If the deal to star in The Bodyguard comes off, it will mean that Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce are pivoting to a joint career in Hollywood.
The American football star signed for the talent agency CAA in 2023 in order to start up an acting career in advance of his retirement from sport – it is anticipated that 2025 will be his final season for the Kansas City Chiefs.
After signing with CAA, Kelce subsequently got a small role in the forthcoming Adam Sandler film Happy Gilmore 2.
Kelce has also now landed his first starring role, in action comedy Loose Cannons, in which he will play a police officer. That will probably film next year – like The Bodyguard.
All of which begs the question: Swift and Kelce have reached the summit of their musical and sporting careers – but can the biggest celebrity couple in the world now storm Hollywood, too?
