Claim: Jennifer Hudson has songs.

Dreamgirls is a 2006 American romantic musical comedy-drama film directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures . The film debuted in three special road show engagements starting on December 15 , 2006 , before its nationwide release on December 25 , 2006 . Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name by composer Henry Krieger and lyricist/librettist Tom Eyen , Dreamgirls is a film à clef , a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and one of its acts , The Supremes . The story follows the history and evolution of American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit , Michigan girl group known as the Dreams and their manipulative record executive . The film was released in the United States on December 25 , 2006 .   The film adaptation of Dreamgirls stars Jamie Foxx , Beyoncé , Eddie Murphy , and Jennifer Hudson , and also features Danny Glover , Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson . Produced by Laurence Mark , the film 's screenplay was adapted by director Condon from the original Broadway book by Tom Eyen . In addition to the original Kreiger Eyen compositions , four new songs , composed by Krieger with various lyricists , were added for this film . Dreamgirls features the acting debut of Hudson , a former American Idol contestant and singer .   With a production cost of $ 80 million , Dreamgirls is the most expensive film to feature an all African-American starring cast in American cinema history . Upon its release , the film garnered positive reviews from critics , and earned $ 154 million at the international box office . Dreamgirls also received a number of accolades , including three awards at the 64th Golden Globe Awards ceremony , including the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , and two Oscars at the 79th Academy Awards .