Fantasia to star in Mahalia Jackson biopic

Fantasia Barrino is starring in a biopic about gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.

The movie simply titled Mahalia is based on the book Got To Tell It: Mahalia Jackson, Queen of Gospel by Jules Schwerin.

Adrian Taylor, who has represented film legend Marty Bregman, is the lead consultant on the financing, and the budget is $23.9 million.

According to New York Post gossip column Page Six, Fantasia who won Idol back in 2004 has a deal for a percentage of the gross. New Orleans-born Jackson rose from poverty to become one of the most influential gospel singers in the world. She died in 1972 at 60.