( CNN ) -- The long-awaited remake of the 1970s cult classic `` Sparkle '' is finally seeing the light of day as it opens in theaters across North America this weekend . The film stars season six `` American Idol '' winner Jordin Sparks and the late pop icon Whitney Houston . It 's set in Detroit during the 1960s and chronicles the rise and perils of an all-girl R & B group -- a la Diana Ross and the Supremes and the glitzy 1981 Broadway show `` Dreamgirls '' and its 2006 movie adaptation . The project has been a labor of love for producer Debra Martin Chase for more than a decade . She and Houston , her film producing partner , scored with `` The Princess Diaries '' films and the made-for-TV movie , `` Rodgers & Hammerstein 's Cinderella . '' As longtime fans of the original 1976 flick ( written by an upstart Joel Schumacher ) , the duo yearned to bring it to a new audience . `` Just thinking back to why this movie was important to me as a teenager and I know why it was important to Whitney ; it was really the first time we saw the fabulous women of color on the screen , who were glamorous , the men were gorgeous , the clothes were gorgeous , '' Martin Chase told CNN this week . `` In and of itself , it was inspirational . '' The TriStar Pictures film , which has been virtually kept under lock and key from media for months , had showings this week in Martha 's Vineyard in Massachusetts , New York and Los Angeles . It also stars Carmen Ejogo , Tika Sumpter , Mike Epps , Derek Luke and Omari Hardwick , with appearances by Cee Lo Green , Michael Beach , Kem , Terrence Jenkins and Tamela J. Mann . `` It 's surreal . It 's hard to believe that it 's finally coming into fruition , '' Martin Chase said . `` It 's like a lot of life lessons about believing in what you believe in and just sticking with your guns and just keep pushing forward to make it happen . '' The road to post-production was n't an easy one for this new `` Sparkle . '' In the late 1990s , Warner Bros. Pictures struck a three-picture deal with then-rising R & B star Aaliyah . One of the star-making vehicles was to be `` Sparkle , '' to which the studio owned the rights . Under their BrownHouse Productions shingle , Martin Chase and Houston were tapped to help bring the remake to life . But shortly after Aaliyah 's second film , `` Queen of the Damned , '' wrapped , tragedy struck when the singer died in a plane crash . The project languished for years . `` I took the idea to other studios and got a bunch of nos , '' Martin Chase said . `` I never gave up on it . '' The names of singer/actresses such as Raven-Symone and Ashanti were bandied about at one time or another , but nothing materialized . During a dinner a few years ago at Sony Pictures Chairman Michael Lynton 's home , the idea of `` Sparkle '' once again came up . Unbeknown to Martin Chase , it was a `` passion project '' for the studio chief , too . From there , the remake received the green light . On the heels of the success of their 2010 feature film debut , `` Jumping the Broom , '' husband-and-wife creative team Salim and Mara Brock Akil -- already established forces in the television industry -- were tapped to direct and write the new movie . Redefining what it means to 'Sparkle ' Salim Akil had his trepidation about taking on such a storied work . The original -- which featured a timeless score and soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield -- made stars out of Irene Cara , Philip Michael Thomas , Dorian Harewood and Lonette McKee . The legend of `` Sparkle , '' which predated the fabled musical `` Dreamgirls , '' would be a prized staple in black movie lovers ' collections for years to come . `` I think with having conversations with my wife , Mara , and riffing on 'Well what if I did do it ? ' and ' I would do this , I would do that , ' I felt like it 's an opportunity to take us back to a time that was a little bit more innocent in terms of the way that we approached life back then , '' Akil said . `` I thought 1968 was an interesting year for America , and so I thought we could do something and present something that a younger generation could appreciate it . '' Outside of the relatively small $ 15 million production budget ( period movies usually start at around $ 50 million ) and a marathon 30-day shooting schedule , casting was one of the biggest challenges for the new `` Sparkle . '' Akil said he knew off the cuff he wanted to work with Epps , a renowned comedian , again after `` Jumping the Broom . '' And as far as the leading role , Sparks -- who starred in Broadway 's `` In the Heights '' in 2010 -- was a born natural . `` Jordin just has this quality about her that lends itself to innocence , and I needed that for 'Sparkle , ' `` he said . `` I needed someone who , in this day and age , there was some innocence left . I wanted someone who was sort of ( a ) mystery to the public and who can sing her ass off , and she could definitely could do that . '' However , the role of Sparkle 's eldest , wilder sibling , Sister , proved less obvious once Paula Patton , also in the Akils ' `` Jumping the Broom , '' could n't do it because of a previous commitment . The director said he saw just about everybody in Hollywood to portray , what is arguably , the strongest role in the movie . And then a screen test of Ejogo , in full character , came his way . `` She had taped herself and it just blew everyone away , and I remember when I saw it , I sent a text to everyone that said : 'This is Sister . She is Sister ' and in a lot of ways , you get what you need through blessings like that . I think she knocked it out of the park . '' As far as the creative process , Akil left his wife to her own devices . `` I gave her five points that I would like to see and then I left her alone . Mara is a competent writer . I wanted her to write the movie because I knew she would do a great script , '' he said . `` And even though she wanted me to read the script before she was finished , I would n't because I did n't want to interfere with her process . '' Some central plot points are different from the original film , but it is a remake in every sense of the term , according to Martin Chase . `` We 've made some changes . And with approaching a remake , you want to preserve that which is most beloved about the original and you want to adapt it to a modern audience , '' she said . `` But at its heart , it 's very much a remake . We 've stayed true to the essence and basic plot of the original movie . '' Outside the usual marketing push , the movie is making an impact in two other arenas : publishing and music . On August 7 , Simon & Schuster released a novelization of `` Sparkle '' by best-selling author and journalist Denene Milner . `` It 's a traditional triumph story and we knew that it would resonate with the audience similar to the movie , '' book editor Todd Hunter said . `` It had all the properties of love and lost . The product is a tremendous story , and in terms of publishing , that 's what we 're all about . '' Last month , RCA Records released the original motion picture soundtrack featuring music from the movie produced by R. Kelly , Harvey Mason Jr. and the Underdogs and featuring what is believed to be Houston 's final recordings . Early buzz on the movie has been good , and seeing Houston , whose role of the matriarch was originated by veteran actress Mary Alice , in her final movie role is expected to draw her fans . `` I 'm excited , I 'm not nervous , '' Salim Akil said . `` I think when I feel like I 've done my job and I 've respected the audience and respected the material , there 's no reason to be nervous . I do n't read reviews so I do n't go down that road . So I 'm just excited . I 'm excited for all of the actors . I 'm excited for people to see Whitney . I want them to see her , how beautiful she is and what a wonderful actress she is . This is the closest I think I 'll come to giving birth . '' ' '' Sparkle '' will be shown on more than 2,600 screens , Martin Chase said , which is considered a wide release . Most films catering to African-American audiences average between 1,500 and 2,000 theaters . `` We still live in an age where we do n't have enough stories really dealing with African-American women , and dealing with their tensions and their conflicts , '' said black film historian and author Donald Bogle , who chronicled the original `` Sparkle '' and many other films in his seminal tome `` Brown Sugar : Over 100 Years of America 's Black Female Superstars . '' `` We still need movies about African-American women and not just movies like 'The Help , ' where it 's all about how they relate , basically , to white people . We need stories that are looking at African-American women and their particular conflicts and not just their romantic tensions but also their professional dilemmas , '' he said . `` I think with this new version of 'Sparkle , ' I think people are going to show up . They 've been waiting to see something like this . ''
Producer says she 's excited to see the film come to light after more than 10 years . Director talks about casting choices and other challenges in remaking beloved cult classic . Film historian : `` We do n't have enough stories really dealing with African-American women ''