Will Smith returns to the screen in the latest trailer for Emancipation.
Today, Apple TV Plus released the official trailer for Emancipation, the upcoming drama film starring Will Smith and directed by Antoine Fuqua. The film will premiere in theaters on Friday, December 2nd, and on Apple TV Plus on Friday, December 9th.
You can watch the official trailer on YouTube below:
The film moves forward despite the controversy
The film, which stars Smith and is directed by Fuqua, tells the story of “Peter (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.”
Earlier this week, Fuqua talked about the controversy surrounding Smith, saying that “the film to me is bigger than that moment. Four hundred years of slavery is bigger than one moment. My hope is that people will see it that way and watch the movie and be swept away with the great performance by Will and all the real hard work that the whole crew did.”
Emancipation will premiere in theaters on Friday, December 2nd, and globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, December 9th. If you want to enjoy the movie in the best quality possible, check out our review of the Apple TV 4K and our list of the Best TVs for Apple TV 2022.