Earlier in the summer, we told you that Apple decided to push back Will Smith’s forthcoming film Emancipation to 2023, a move presumably done in response to the Hollywood backlash he received stemming from the infamous Chris Rock/Oscars slap. Now, it appears the popular streaming service is changing course, revealing on Monday the official trailer for the film and its new release date this December.
Per a press release sent to The Root, Emancipation tells the “triumphant story of Peter (played by Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of ‘Whipped Peter,’ taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. One image, known as ‘The Scourged Back,’ which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first screening of the film was held by Apple and the NAACP over the weekend in Washington D.C. at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference for a select audience. Both Smith and director Antoine Fuqua were present and held a panel conversation afterwards to speak to the importance of the film.
“Throughout my career, I’ve turned down many films that were set in slavery,” Smith said, per THR. “I never wanted to show us like that. And then this picture came along. And this is not a film about slavery. This is a film about freedom. This is a film about resilience. This is a film about faith.”
He continued:
“This is a film about the heart of a man — what could be called the first viral image. Cameras had just been created, and the image of whipped Peter went around the world. It was a rallying cry against slavery, and this was a story that exploded and blossomed in my heart that I wanted to be able to deliver to you in a way that only Antoine Fuqua could deliver.”
In a Q&A session with Deadline, Fuqua also spoke on the “daunting” task of bringing a film like this to life, given the sensitive subject matter: “For me as a director, doing a film about slavery is daunting. Because you want to get it right and I’d want to make it as truthful and as authentic as I can. What I found is, it was very inspiring to people. Peter’s image from 1863 inspired me to want to make the film and inspired Will to want to make the film. It seemed to inspire the audience similarly; they clapped and cheered afterward. That was the thing I felt most moved by.”
Emancipation, starring Will Smith hits theaters Dec. 2 and Apple TV+ on Dec. 9.