TRAILERS

Second Trailer for Slavery Escape Film 'Emancipation' with Will Smith

by Alex Billington
November 16, 2022
Source: YouTube

"They whip me, they break the bones in my body more times than I can count… but they never break me!!" Apple TV has revealed an official full trailer for Emancipation, starring Will Smith as an escaped slave in this intense and riveting drama based on a true story. It's set to debut in December for streaming and in select theaters. Smith stars as Peter, a runaway slave who forges through the swamps of Louisiana on a tortuous journey to escape plantation owners that nearly killed him. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of "Whipped Peter," taken during a Union Army medical examination. Which is finally shown in this trailer at the end. The film's cast includes Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Mustafa Shakir, Steven Ogg, Grant Harvey, Jabbar Lewis, Jayson Warner Smith, Ronnie Gene Bivens, Michael Luwoye, Aaron Moten, & Imani Pullum. This looks like a harrowing and infuriating story, once again about American racism. I like the color grading differences between the pre- and post-slavery stories. From the looks of it, this might just be an impressive film overall. It's a late-in-the-year surprise from Apple TV+.

Here's the main official trailer (+ poster) for Antoine Fuqua's Emancipation, direct from YouTube:

You can rewatch the first teaser trailer for Fuqua's Emancipation right here to see the first look again.

Tells the triumphant story of Peter (Will 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. Emancipation is directed by the award-winning American filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, of films including The Replacement Killers, Training Day, Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter, Brooklyn's Finest, Olympus Has Fallen, The Equalizer, Southpaw, The Magnificent Seven, The Equalizer 2, Infinite, and The Guilty previously. The screenplay is written by Bill Collage (Exodus: Gods & Kings, The Transporter Refueled, Allegiant, Assassin's Creed). It's produced by Todd Black, Joey McFarland, Jon Mone, and Will Smith. Apple will release Emancipation in select US theaters starting December 2nd, 2022, then streaming on Apple TV+ on December 9th later in the fall.

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