Many of Will Smith’s projects have been postponed or surrounded by uncertainty since storming the stage and slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. This includes Bad Boys 4, I Am Legend 2, and the Netflix feature Fast and Loose. And Apple TV’s Emancipation is one such project. Following a heated bidding war, Apple eventually obtained the rights to the buzzy movie for more than $130 million. Meanwhile, Smith collected $35 million for his major part.
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The historical action movie is based on a true incident. It follows Smith as a slave who escapes from a Louisiana plantation and must avoid cold-blooded pursuers as he makes the journey north to join the Union Army. The film also stars Ben Foster, Steven Ogg, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Grant Harvey, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Mustafa Shakir, and Jayson Warner Smith in supporting roles.
Emancipation gets a trailer and release date
Emancipation is ready for release after overcoming numerous challenges. In addition to the first look, Apple TV has released the Emancipation trailer and has set a December release date. The film will be released in theaters on December 2 and then on December 9 on their streaming service.
The teaser trailer is narrated by Smith’s character, Peter, as he travels across Louisiana wetlands in search of his family. Will Smith shared the same, saying, “This was the hardest movie I’ve ever made. Blood, Sweat & Tears… LITERALLY!”
On a night that was overshadowed by the now-famous slap, Smith did win the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for King Richard. And now, Emancipation is highly-anticipated as this will mark his first film since the slap and his Oscar win. Based on the positive early reactions to the film, Emancipation is poised to be a formidable contender this awards season.
