Port Huron native Terry McMillan
tweeted in the early hours today that a script for "Getting to Happy," the film adaptation of her newest novel, is complete and it should be on screen in 2012.
"Getting to Happy" is the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale," the groundbreaking 1992 novel about four African-American women balancing love and life.
The 1995 film starred Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon and was directed by future Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Its Babyface-produced soundtrack spawned a number of hits including Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," Brandy's "Sittin' Up in My Room," and Mary J. Blige's "Not Gon' Cry." Detroiters CeCe Winans, who spoke about her contribution to the soundtrack to MLive last month, and Aretha Franklin also appear on the album.
"Happy" picks up on the four women 15 years after the events of "Exhale": Savannah is finally married, but unhappy; Bernadine is near-broke after her huge divorce settlement; Gloria seems to have finally found happiness; Robin is juggling her career with being a single mother.
In the years since "Exhale" roared into theaters, everyone involved with the original production has seen their own ups and downs. McMillan got her groove back, but lost it in spectacular fashion. Whitaker, as mentioned before, won an Academy Award for acting in "The Last King of Scotland," but his behind-the-camera work has been sporadic.
The ladies of "Exhale" have had varying degrees of personal and professional success. Bassett and Devine have maintained a steady presence onscreen; both appear in the upcoming "Jumping the Broom" this spring. Rochon has all but disappeared from the screen, but is due for a comeback. Houston's post-"Exhale" presence goes without saying: Sure, there was some good music -- but let's ignore the drugs, the reality show and now, the rumored family troubles.
Casting the male characters in the film might prove to be the production's biggest challenge, as Gregory Hines, who played opposite Devine, died in 2003 and Wesley Snipes, who played opposite Bassett, is currently serving a prison sentence for tax fraud and won't be released until 2013. Donald Faison, Devine's son in the film, went on to "Scrubs" and other flicks; Leon, father to Rochon's daughter, has worked intermittently since.
And as for the soundtrack? Babyface is still producing music as are all of the principal songstresses -- Houston, Winans, Blige, Brandy, Franklin, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle, Chante Moore, Faith Evans and Chaka Khan. TLC contributed to the soundtrack as well, but founding member Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes died in a car accident in 2002. Since 1996, however, a bevy of female artists have flooded the market, leaving the door open for the likes of Keyshia Cole, Beyonce, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott or India.Arie to add new musical flavor. (One person who you won't see on the "Happy" soundtrack? Willow Smith.)
