The Bodyguard musical to open on the West End

Another movie is set to be turned into a musical.

Move over Ghost, Legally Blonde, Shrek and Catch Me If You Can – a new musical adaption of the 1992 Whitney Houston, Kevin Costner film The Bodyguard is on its way.

Due to open at the Adelphi Theatre on the West End in November of 2012, the show will star the Tony Award winning Broadway performer Heather Headley (Original Nala – The Lion King and Original Aida – Aida) who confirmed her casting on her facebook page:

So, let’s talk about London…. Yes! I’ve been offered the role of Rachel in the musical version The Bodyguard. Very Honored! The script has been rewritten a bit and it’s very interesting. Needless to say, the music is great (they’re using many of the songs of Whitney’s catalogue) – – very challenging, but great. We’ll start on the West End in London and then we’ll move to Broadway (if all goes well – – I think it will). Anyhow, give me your thoughts. What do you think about this one? To be or not to be – – that is the question….Heather Headley – Facebook.com

Headley has also confirmed on her website, heatherheadley.com, that she will be returning to London for a workshop of The Bodyguard in March.

The show itself, with a book by Alex Dinelaris (Zanna Don’t), has been in the works for well over a year, but with the sad passing of the film’s original star Whitney Houston recently, it seems that commercial attention has increased. The film is synonymous with one of her biggest hits, “I will Always Love You”, which will no doubt be a show stopping moment in the musical.

Update: There is also now an official The Bodyguard the Musical Website.