from Alice Walker The color purple has been a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, an Oscar-nominated drama, and a Tony Award-winning musical over the years, and while each of those iterations of the classic tale was unique, the first trailer for Warner Bros.’ the upcoming remake makes it look like it’s going to be a fascinating amalgamation of them all.
From executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Steven Spielberg and Scott Sanders, Warner Bros.’ new The color purple tells the story of Celie (Phylicia Mpasi, Fantasia Barrino) and Nettie Harris (Halle Bailey, Ciara Wilson), two sisters whose traumatic lives are turned upside down when Nettie is forced to run away in search of a better life as a teenager. Time and distance separate the sisters, transforming them into radically different people during their years apart. But a promise from her childhood that they’ll always keep in touch by letter gives Celie hope that she’ll see her sister again one day, and the trailer shows just how important Mpasi and Bailey’s performances as the sisters are in the past to Barino and Wilson as their adult selves.
While the trailer only gives us a small taste of Fantasia’s vocals, Taraji P. Henson’s spin on Shug Avery, and Danielle Brooks’ Sofia, that’s really all you need to get a feel for how electric they’ll all be. We’re still a long way from the next cycle of the awards season, but it feels safe to assume that after that The color purple hits theaters December 25th and will be one of the stronger contenders.
