The film also stars Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa and Gilbert Owuor.
Apple Original Films have revealed the trailer for highly anticipated film Emancipation, directed and executive produced by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) and starring and produced by Will Smith (King Richard, The Pursuit of Happyness, Ali).
Emancipation tells the triumphant 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.
The film will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, 9 December.
Emancipation is directed by Fuqua, from a script by William N. Collage. The film is produced by Smith and Jon Mone through Westbrook Studios, Joey McFarland though McFarland Entertainment and Todd Black through Escape Artists. Chris Brigham, Antoine Fuqua, James Lassiter, Heather Washington, Cliff Roberts, Glen Basner and Scott Greenberg are executive producing.
Starring alongside Smith are Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Mustafa Shakir, Steven Ogg, Grant Harvey, Ronnie Gene Bivens, Jayson Warner Smith, Jabbar Lewis, Michael Luwoye, Aaron Moten and Imani Pullum.
