Emancipation trailer: Will Smith leads a stirring look at Antoine Fuqua’s historical escape thriller

Apple Original Films is bringing major updates for Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming historical drama this Monday with an Emancipation trailer and word of the film’s theatrical release. The emotional epic starring Will Smith is opening in theaters on December 2, followed by a December 9 release on Apple TV+.

Industry insiders are watching Emancipation closely after an incident involving Smith at the last Academy Awards. Smith slapped Chris Rock‘s face on live television after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s partner, Jada-Pinkett Smith. “The slap heard around the world” damaged Smith’s reputation and banned him from the Academy for ten years. Smith also resigned from the Academy to minimize the damage done. Despite the steps taken, Smith’s fall from grace hurt Emancipation‘s status as an Oscar contender. It isn’t easy to champion a film whose star cannot participate in the annual celebration.

Despite the politics behind Emancipation‘s Oscar chances, today’s Emancipation trailer offers a gorgeous yet haunting look at Fuqua’s upcoming epic. Fuqua directs the film, which tells the story of the harrowing escape of Peter, a runaway slave forced to outwit cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on a tortuous journey North where he joined the Union Army. A photo of his bare back was taken, showing off the gruesome scars he had received while enslaved. The photo found its way around the world and gave abolitionists indisputable proof of the cruelty of slavery in America.

The Emancipation trailer, presented almost entirely in black-and-white, depicts a stirring tale of survival and escape from inhumane conditions. Despite Smith’s Hollywood status, Emancipation could be the best film of Fuqua’s career. The film’s subject matter is close to Fuqua’s heart, and he’s thrilled to expose audiences to a gripping story of perseverance and justice.

Will Smith stars in Emancipation, with Ben Foster, Grant Harvey, David Denman, Steven Ogg, Imani Pullman, Charmaine Bingwa, Paul Ben-Victor, Aaron Moten, Mustafa Shakir, and others.

Speaking with Deadline, Fuqua commented about releasing Emancipation soon after Smith’s Oscars incident, saying, “Really, I was always saying that, as a filmmaker, you want your work out there, especially something this important. It was Apple, behind the scenes, they were pushing that as well, trying to navigate through the waters. They never stopped talking about releasing the film, and when would be best strategically. Apple would call me often, with Will, and I have to say Apple has been amazing through this whole film. We moved from Georgia to Louisiana, and they never blinked. We weathered hurricanes, Covid, all those things.”

What do you think about Apple’s Emancipation trailer? Do you believe Fuqua’s film will become an awards contender despite Smith’s actions? Let us know in the comments.