Warner Brothers has released the official trailer for Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple” starring Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R., Ciara, Halle Bailey, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Louis Gossett, Jr., David Alan Grier, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Batiste, and Elizabeth Marvel. Based on the stage musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s acclaimed novel of the same name, the film will be released in theaters on December 25th.
Plot Synopsis: A story of the life-long struggles of an African American woman living in the south during the early 1900s.
Musical theater fans have been eagerly anticipating the film version of this musical for quite some time, basically ever since the acclaimed Broadway revival starring Cynthia Erivo in her star-making, Tony-winning role closed in 2017. This looks to have all of the show’s heart fully intact, with a cast of incredible actors and singers. Taraji P. Henson looks like she’s living it up as nightclub singer Shug Avery, but as anyone who saw that Broadway production will tell you, the show’s not-so-secret weapon was Danielle Brooks as the strong-willed Sofia, whose presence in this trailer gives mere hints at the pyrotechnics she unleashes in the role. It’s very smart for the trailer to be structured around Celie’s big eleven o’clock number “I’m Here,” as big of a stand-and-cheer moment as any in all of musical theater, but “American Idol” winner Fantasia’s husky vocals may prove divisive, especially if (and when) people compare her to Erivo. She does make a perfect pair with Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, her plays the younger version of Celie, though. The film certainly looks every inch the prestige Christmas release, with gorgeous colors that pop off the screen, handsome costume and production design, and even some shots that seem to do justice to the tag line: “A bold new take on the beloved classic”. This is a near-perfect cut of a trailer, one that gives the broad strokes of the story and some of the film’s most striking images without giving away everything. Consider my appetite thoroughly whetted. What do you all think? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or our Twitter account.
