Whitney Houston's tragic passing on Saturday at age 48 has had the world talking, and it's not just speculation over what caused the singer's untimely death.
Fans and industry insiders who have been curious as to the fate of her as-of-yet unproduced projects, most notably "Getting to Happy," the sequel to her 1995 hit movie "Waiting to Exhale," finally have an answer: the show must go on.
Vulture reports that Fox 2000 Pictures President Elizabeth Gabler has confirmed that the movie will be coming to the big screen without Houston.
"I don't think she would want it to [get shelved]," says Gabler. "It's almost in her honor that we think to soldier on."
While "Getting to Happy" will still see the light of day, Houston's absence won't be the only change in the line-up. Writer Terry McMillan penned both the book and screenplay for "Waiting to Exhale," and began writing "Happy" with Fox 2000 exec Lori Lakin, but time constraints for both women have forced the company to bring in a team of writers to finish the project under the watchful eye of "Exhale" director Forest Whitaker.
As for replacing Whitney, those associated with the film are still too shocked about Houston's death to have considered it. While Gabler notes that "it isn't inconceivable" that Oprah Winfrey, a huge supporter of the first film, might have interest in working on the project, nothing has been set in stone.
"We literally have not talked about anybody for that part. Forest [Whitaker], I know, is just ... grieving. He'd been the one who was speaking with her, updating [Houston] on its progress."
