Naomi Ackie is in negotiations to play Whitney Houston in the musical biopic about the singer’s life, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” that is set up at Sony’s TriStar Pictures.

“The Photograph” filmmaker Stella Meghie is directing the film about Houston’s life that comes from a screenplay by “Bohemian Rhapsody” writer Anthony McCarten.

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is set for release on Thanksgiving 2022. The film is being made with the support of Houston’s estate and will include a look at her full life and career as well as a journey through her music.

Ackie is a British actress who broke out in “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” and in the film “Lady Macbeth.” She recently won a BAFTA for her work in the second season of Netflix’s “The End of the F***ing World,” and she can be seen in “Education,” the...