With all the emphasis on whether the upcoming Sparkle remake release will at all be affected by star Whitney Houston's passing, I forgot all about that sequel to Waiting To Exhale that was officially announced in 2010, when author Terry McMillan's book (which the sequel will be based on) Getting To Happy hit bookstore shelves.

So is that project still a go without Whitney? The answer is "Yes," says Fox, according to Vulture (via The Playlist).

"I don’t think she would want it to… it's almost in her honor that we think to soldier on" said Elizabeth Gabler, president of Fox 2000 Pictures, to Vulture yesterday afternoon.

I didn't realize Elizabeth Gabler of Fox knew Whitney so well to speak on what she'd want or not want.

As we've continuous updated you on the progress of the film, you'd know that McMillan has been working on the script adaptation of Getting to Happy for a good year to 2 years now.

But the project is "a priority" at Fox 2000 and will be fast-tracked, shepherded by the original Exhale director Forest Whitaker.

So the big question is: who might replace Whitney in the sequel?

Fox 2000 prez Gabler says that "it isn’t inconceivable" that Oprah Winfrey might be the one (if only as an honor to Whitney), given that she's already announced her plans to return to acting. However, as Gabler cautions, no deals have been done with anyone so who knows.

And as Vulture reminds, another project that may likely somehow benefit from Houston's death is Warner Bros' plans to remake what was Houston's biggest big-screen hit film, The Bodyguard, for which a new script was just delivered to the studio.

So there ya have it… the Whitney Houston gravy train has officially started its engines… 

Suddenly that Sparkle remake, which really may have done modest box office a la the Akil's last film, Jumping The Broom, looks like it could very well exceed all expectations, as audiences rush to the theaters to see Whitney's last big screen performance!