Originally expected to drop on the fall festival circuit later this year, Apple TV+ has delayed the Will Smith-starring “Emancipation” film until 2023, reports Variety. The reason is likely the actor’s infamous lap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony.
From the article: While Apple has not shared an official date, one source familiar with the situation said “it’s the unspoken truth” that the action-drama will not hit the platform in 2022. However, the same source also revealed there have been ongoing internal discussions between Apple executives and the filmmakers on how a release in the fall could move forward, but it seems highly unlikely.
About ‘Emancipation’
Apple acquired Emancipation for US$120 in a bidding war. Here’s how the movie is described: Will Smith plays Peter, a slave who fled a plantation in Louisiana after he was whipped within an inch of his life. He had to outwit cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on a torturous journey north. There, he joined the Union Army. The thriller is based on Peter’s true story and was inspired by the haunting photo of his bare back, scarred from the brutal whipping. The image, which came to be known as “The Scourged Back,” was published by The Independent in May 1863 and then in the Harper’s Weekly. It became indisputable proof of the barbarity of slavery in America, solidified the cause of abolitionists and prompted many free Blacks to join the Union Army.
About Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial.
For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.
