It's a privilege: Stella Meghie on directing Whitney Houston biopic

Filmmaker Stella Meghie says it is a "privilege" to direct the Whitney Houston biopic, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody".

The "Photograph" director said it was important for her to tell Whitney's story and "extend" the music icon's legacy.

"Whitney Houston is the greatest singer of all time, so it's a privilege to be able to tell her story. I'm very lucky to have the support of Pat Houston (Whitney's sister-in-law) and Anthony McCarten (screenwriter) and Clive Davis (music producer) to direct the film.

"It's amazing talking about her so much and it's just very important to all of us to kind of extend her legacy and to tell her story. It's the most exciting job I've ever been in a position to tell," Meghie told The Hollywood Reporter.

Davis, who mentored the late singer, is producing the project along with the Whitney Houston estate and McCarten.

Whitney died in 2012 aged 48, drowning in her bathtub after ingesting a large amount of cocaine.

Despite a career marked by drug addiction, she remains one of the great voices of R'n'B and popular music in the last 30 years.