LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On Monday, May 22, Warner Bros released the first trailer for ‘The Color Purple’ by filmmaker Blitz Bazawule, which is based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel and Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film of the same name. But this time, the film, which is set to be premiered in North America on December 25, 2023, and will open internationally beginning January 18, 2024, is coming to the big screen as a musical.
The new ‘The Color Purple’, which will detail the life of Black women living in the South during the early 1900s, stars Taraji P Henson as Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, HER as Squeak, Halle Bailey as Young Nettie, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Mama and Fantasia Barrino as Celie. The cast also features Louis Gossett Jr as Ol’ Mister, David Alan Grier as Reverend Avery, Ciara as Nettie, Deon Cole as Alfonso, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie, Tamala J Mann as First Lady and Stephen Hill as Buster, as well as Jon Batiste as Grady and Elizabeth Marvel as Miss Millie, reports Variety.
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11 nominations but no Oscar
Alice Walker's 1982 novel won the Pulitzer Prize for literature making her the first Black woman to win the award, states Grunge. On the other hand, the 1985 film had Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Akosua Busia, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey, who is one of the producers of the 2023 adaption, in an ensemble cast. It was called the best film of 1985 by Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert and also, received 11 Oscar nominations including Best Actress for Goldberg and Best Supporting Actress for Avery and Winfrey. But won none of it, making it join 1977 'The Turning Point' as the most nominated in Oscar history without a single win. The best picture award went to 'Out of Africa.' This was shocking because the reviews for 'Out of Africa' weren't great. It was called "numbingly paced and portentously orchestrated," as per The Washington Post. Also, the Black community was outraged at the film's treatment of Black men. Eldridge Cleaver, a former Black Panther leader, said, "I condemn this film in the strongest terms possible. The treatment of black men is reprehensible," stated UPI.
'Steven Spielberg was not recognized'
Spielberg was awarded Best Director by The Director's Guild of America but he didn't get any Oscar nomination. As per Grunge, Spielberg wasn't seen as a "serious" filmmaker. In a statement, distributor Warner Bros expressed its “sincere appreciation” for the nominations, adding that “the company is shocked and dismayed that the movie’s primary creative force – Steven Spielberg – was not recognized," as per AFilmG. Commenting at that time, Spielberg said, as stated by UPI, "We were pitched a no-hitter, but the crowd still loves us."
