Emancipation, Will Smith’s upcoming Apple TV+ thriller has added several new cast members, just a day after filming on the show was paused because of COVID.
Variety reports:
Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor and Mustafa Shakir have joined the cast of Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming thriller “Emancipation,” starring Will Smith.
Apple landed the title last year, reportedly paying $120 million for the title. From that report:
Apple has reportedly landed the rights to a new movie on Apple TV+, Emancipation, starring Will Smith.
According to The Hollywood Reporter:
After a heated bidding war, Apple has landed Emancipation, the action film that will star Will Smith and is set to be directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Many of the major studios were vying for the package being sold out of the Cannes virtual market. Warner Bros and Apple were the final two bidders, with Apple taking the project for a massive price tag.
As the report notes, Apple has reportedly paid through the nose for the production.
Emancipation is based on the true story of a runaway slave called Peter who tries to evade capture through Louisiana, heading north to join the Union army. A photo of Peter’s back known as The Scourged Back was used as evidence at the time of the cruelty of slavery in America.
The movie is currently being filmed but was paused yesterday after a COVID scare:
Upcoming Apple TV+ movie Emancipation has seen filming paused following the positive COVID-19 testing of some of its crew. The temporary stop is expected to last almost a week.
According to a Deadline report, the hiatus begins today and is likely to run for around five days.
