The Color Purple is going to inspire audiences all over again when the musical remake hits theaters on Christmas Day. On May 22, Warner Bros. released the trailer for the upcoming movie starring American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino in her debut film role.
The first trailer shows the strength of the bond between Celie and her sister, Nettie. They’re separated as teenagers, and Celie has never forgotten about her sister in her adult years. When she’s older, Shug Avery takes Celie under her wing. The footage features Fantasia showing off her incredible vocals.
The trailer for director Blitz Bazawule‘s musical remake was first shown to audiences at CinemaCon in April. Oprah Winfrey, who played Sofia in the 1985 film and is a producer on the 2023 remake, was there with Blitz to present the footage. Oprah described the upcoming film as a “celebration of sisterhood” that has both “magical realism” and “wholesome, wonderful family goodness,” according to IndieWire. “They are survivors because of their inner strength, and that is how Celie especially finds her voice,” Oprah also said. “And in this film, boy does she have a voice.”
The Color Purple stars Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins, Danielle Brooks, H.E.R., Ciara, Halle Bailey, David Alan Grier, and Aunjanue Ellis. Oprah is one of the producers alongside Steven Spielberg, who directed the 1985 flick. Quincy Jones, who composed the score for the previous movie, is also a producer.
The upcoming film is a big-screen remake of the Tony Award-winning musical that was based on Alice Novel‘s 1982 novel. The projects all tell the story of a Black woman named Celie who is living in the rural South during the early 1900s. The first film based on The Color Purple was released in 1985 and starred Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, and Danny Glover. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Whoopi, and Best Supporting Actress for Oprah, but did not win in any of the categories.