‘The Bodyguard’: Kevin Costner Pays Tribute to Whitney Houston for Film’s 30th Anniversary
Whitney Houston was already a star before her film debut in The Bodyguard, but the movie made her a global icon. It’s been almost 30 years since the film’s release. To celebrate, the film will be re-released in selected theaters nationwide. Kevin Costner, a lifelong Houston friend and fan, couldn’t be happier about it.
Kevin Costner shared tribute ahead of the film’s re-release in theaters for its 30th anniversary
Fans old and new can go to the theaters on Sunday, Nov. 6, and again Wednesday, Nov. 9, to see the classic on the big screen in commemoration of the 30th anniversary. “The Bodyguard’s story and songs are indelibly etched on the hearts of movie and music fans all around the globe,” Kymberli Frueh, SVP of Programming and Content Acquisitions for Trafalgar Releasing said in a statement, per Deadline. “We are pleased to partner with Warner Bros. to bring this anniversary celebration to fans.”
Tickets for the special showings went on sale on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Fans can still purchase available tickets at TheBodyguard30.com.
Costner took to Instagram to share his excitement about the re-release. “In November, 30 years after its first premiere, The Bodyguard will be returning to theaters. I couldn’t be more excited that we all get to re-experience this film and the magic that happened when Whitney stepped in front of the camera. I hope you’ll join us in celebrating this movie and her legacy,” he wrote.
The movie spent 10 weeks in the Top 10, eventually grossing over $400 million worldwide. It became the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1992 in the US and Canada, and the second-highest-grossing film of the year, worldwide.
Whitney Houston almost didn’t take the role
Costner always believed Houston would be the perfect fit for the role, but the “I’m Your Baby Tonight” singer wasn’t as certain. “I got word that he wanted me to do this film and that he didn’t want anyone else to do it besides me,” Houston once revealed in an interview. “That intrigued me. [I thought to myself] ‘Why can’t anybody else do this film?’”
He refused to do the project without her and even delayed filming several times to accommodate her hectic touring schedule. “We postponed the movie for a year to wait for Whitney,” Costner revealed. The “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” singer was worth the wait. “There’s an exotic quality to Whitney, there’s this thing about her, and guys are in love with her,” he added.
There’s a Broadway adaptation of the iconic film
A Broadway musical adaptation of The Bodyguard debuted in the U.K. in 2012. Playbill reports that The Pussycat Dolls alum Melody Thornton will star as Rachel Marron in the upcoming U.K. and Ireland tour, launching at Glasgow King’s Theatre on Jan. 28, 2023. She previously starred as Houston’s character during the musical’s six-month tour of China. Singer Deborah Cox also starred in the lead role in the UK and US tours at differing times. Her last run was in 2020.
