Will Smith film Emancipation drops trailer and gets 2022 release date
Will Smith film Emancipation drops trailer as Apple TV+ announces release date in time for awards season despite actor’s Oscar ban following Slapgate
Apple TV+ will now be releasing Will Smith’s drama Emancipation later this year, despite reportedly postponing the release date to 2023 in the wake of Slapgate.
The streamer announced Emancipation would now hit theaters December 2 and be available for streaming December 9, just in time for awards season despite Smith’s 10-year ban from the Oscars.
Additionally, a trailer for the film, which is based on a true story and sees Smith play a runaway slave, was released Monday.
Out soon: Apple TV+ will now be releasing Will Smith’s drama Emancipation later this year, despite postponing the release date to 2023 in the wake of Slapgate
Smith will play the role of Peter in the historical motion picture, which is based off a true story from an 1863 photo titled The Scourged Back.
The image, according to History.com, depicts Peter showing off a heavily scarred back after a treacherous journey to freedom. (The photo, which was in Harper’s Weekly in July of 1863, was critical in changing the beliefs of white Northerners looking to abolish slavery.)
The trailer begins with a shot of blood dripping onto a leaf before Will’s voice is heard in a voice over.
‘I heard it myself,’ Will, in character as Peter, says. ‘Slaves are free.’
Sneak peek: Additionally, a trailer for the film, which is based on a true story and sees Smith play a runaway slave, was released Monday
Escape: The trailer shows Will’s character Peter in the midst of his harrowing escape
Based on a true story: Smith will play the role of Peter in the historical motion picture, which is based off a true story from an 1863 photo titled The Scourged Back
‘Says who?’ his friend Gordon asks.
‘Lincoln,’ Peter replies.
But Smith’s character faces dangerous obstacles in his journey to freedom.
‘We must get to Lincoln’s army. Five days, through this swamp,’ Peter continues.
‘There are many ways to die in a swamp,’ his friend informs him.
‘There are many ways to die in a swamp’: Smith’s character faces dangerous obstacles in his journey to freedom
‘My family is with me, forever’: Peter says as visuals of his wife and their children appear
Coming soon: The streamer announced Emancipation would now hit theaters December 2 and be available for streaming December 9
‘There are many ways to die here,’ Peter replies.
‘I will not be afraid. What can a mere man do to me?’ Peter says as shots of him in the midst of his harrowing escape flash on screen.
‘Follow the sound of Lincoln’s cannons,’ a man advises him.
‘My family is with me, forever,’ Peter says as visuals of his wife and their children appear.
Historical drama: The trailer concludes with tense montage of Will’s escape coupled with shots of the Civil War
Battlefield: ‘Follow the sound of Lincoln’s cannons,’ a man advises Peter
Dramatic: The sneak peek concludes with a shot of Peter slamming a shovel onto the ground
The trailer concludes with tense montage of Will’s escape coupled with shots of the Civil War, before he is shown slamming a shovel onto the ground.
‘I will look in triumph at my enemies,’ Peter says just as the trailer comes to a close.
In May, Variety reported Emancipation’s release date had been pushed back to 2023 on account of the incident.
The Antoine Fuqua directed movie was already getting awards buzz prior to this year’s Oscars but Smith’s on-camera assaulting of Chris Rock sent the studio into damage control.
Controversy: Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the comic cracked a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith
Consequences: The Antoine Fuqua directed movie was already getting awards buzz prior to this year’s Oscars but Smith’s on-camera assaulting of Chris Rock sent the studio into damage control
Sources said there was an ‘unspoken truth’ that the movie would not come out until 2023, Variety reported.
The Oscars exchange between Smith and Rock took place after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying, ‘Jada, I love you, G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,’ in reference to the 1997 movie which featured Demi Moore with a shaved head. (Pinkett Smith, 51, has diagnosed with alopecia, which causes hair loss.)
After the controversy, Smith, who won an Oscar for Best Actor the night of the incident, resigned from the Academy and was subsequently banned from the institution for 10 years. He is still, however, allowed to receive an Oscar nomination.
Smith also issued a public apology to Rock where he called his behavior ‘unacceptable and inexcusable.’
Coming soon: The film will be released in time for 2023 Oscars consideration despite Smith’s ban from the institution
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