The Color Purple: Remake's First Trailer Lives Up To The Original
"The Color Purple" was transformed from a seminal 1982 novel by Alice Walker to an Oscar-nominated 1986 film by Steven Spielberg — which the Academy notoriously snubbed – to a Tony-nominated 2006 Broadway musical that was revived in 2016 to huge acclaim. Now the musical is circling back all the way to where it started — the big screen.
This song-packed version of "The Color Purple" is slated to rip out the hearts of audiences worldwide this year. The film definitely keeps the book's inspiring tale of sisterhood and self-value close to the surface. Audience members are treated to the sight of sisters Nettie (Halle Bailey) and Celie Harris (Phylicia Mpasi) sharing time together in quiet bliss. Unfortunately, they're about to be torn apart by Celie's physically and mentally abusive husband, Mister (Colman Domingo), who will go to great lengths to oppress Celie and kill any joy she might have in her soul. Mister's plans to keep Celie under his thumb are forever disrupted by sassy juke joint songstress Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), who takes a shine to Celie and opens up her world. Soon, Celie can recognize her inner and outer beauty despite Mister's cruel words, and she might be able to make a clean break from his grasp for good.
Sisterhood and self-esteem reign supreme in The Color Purple
The heart-tugging and yet spirit-lightening world of "The Color Purple" appears to be headed right to the big screen in an absolutely faithful way. There's sun-dappled beauty to the adult Celie's (Fantasia Barrino) memories of her youth, contrasted with briefly-glimpsed moments of violence and angst. (Barrino also played the same role on Broadway.) The trailer leans more on the musical's uplifting later acts versus the more downbeat moments Celie shares with Mister.
Interestingly enough, there's not very much of Sofia Johnson (Danielle Brooks), so memorably played by Oprah Winfrey in the first film, in the trailer. Sofia's story takes up a large chunk of the musical's plotline, and she has a floor-shaking number during its first act with "Hell No!" Hopefully, the tune will remain intact in the final product.
"The Color Purple" will hit theaters on December 25.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.