The New Adaptation of 1985 Classic ‘The Color Purple’ Will Tell “A New Story”
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A new musical adaptation, directed by Blitz Bazewule, of the classic 1982 novel ‘The Color Purple’ is set to arrive in theatres on Dec. 25.
The cast of the movie adaptation wanted to tell the story in a new way.
This is the second film adaptation after Whoopi Goldberg won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Celie in the 1985 movie.
‘The Color Purple’ follows the story of two black American teenage sisters, Celie and Nettie, in the South during the early 1900s.
Celie embarks on a journey to find her freedom after she and her sister were separated and endured years of abuse.
Bazewule, the Ghanaian filmmaker, said he wanted to show Celie as a “complex character” and not someone who is “docile and waiting to be saved” as she suffered abuse.
For Bazewule, this adaptation stands out from the rest as it will allow the audience to delve into Celie’s mind and understand that there was no easy way out of the abuse she endured.
The film stars:
Fantasia Barrino as Celie
Halle Bailey as Young Nettie
Ciara as Adult Nettie
Danielle Brooks as Sofia
Taraji P Henson as Shug Avery
Reinventing a “Phenomenon”
Oprah Winfrey was “deeply invested” in the movie, including choosing the perfect cast.
“To reinvent this movie at this time is to reinvent a phenomenon.”
“From day one, finding a cast that could live up to the musical has been the exciting opportunity,” Winfrey says.
After the 1985 film ‘The Colour Purple’, an adaptation premiered in 2005 featuring Broadway notable like Brandon Victor Dixon.
The original movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, was Winfrey’s debut as an actress, in which she portrayed Sophia.
“Being in that movie changed everything for me.”
“There’s nothing that’s been more important or vital to me, culturally, artistically, than The Color Purple,” Oprah says at the beginning of a video featuring herself and the movie trailer.
As we wait for this highly anticipated film, here is the trailer.
