Will Smith 1st Post-Slap Movie ‘Emancipation’ Release Date, How to Watch
Hollywood is still trying to figure out what to do about the Will Smith Oscar slap. Before this year’s awards show, in which Smith won Best Actor after slapping Chris Rock, Smith was a guaranteed box office draw. The televised display had thrown many of Smith’s projects into question, but we have the answer on one. Apple TV+ announced the release dates for Emancipation.
The trailer released on Oct. 3 displayed theatrical and streaming release dates for Emancipation. That means at least one Smith movie is coming out post-slap.
Will Smith made ‘Emancipation’ before the Oscar slap
Emancipation was in production last year. According to Rolling Stone in April, Smith’s upcoming projects were on pause following the Oscar slap. Those include the sequel Bad Boys 4 and a Netflix film called Fast and Loose. With Apple already in post-production on Emancipation, a delay to 2023 was rumored but looks like it’ll still come out this year.
Smith plays Peter, a runaway slave trying to escape the plantation that tortures him. He joins the Union Army after hearing about the Emancipation Proclamation. Emancipation is based on a true story.
‘Emancipation’ theatrical and streaming release dates
The trailer announced the theatrical release of Emancipation on Friday, Dec. 2. That’s the heat of awards season with one month to go before the end of the year. Emancipation will premiere on Apple TV+ one week later on Dec. 9 so you can watch it at home. The one week theatrical run is required to qualify for the Oscars.
However, if the film or Smith is nominated for an Oscar, Smith can’t attend. As a result of disciplinary action, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banned Smith from attending any Academy events for 10 years. That includes the Oscars ceremony itself. Smith resigned from the Academy on his own before the decision was made.
The film made a controversial decision before production
Emancipation was scheduled to film in Atlanta, Georgia, a production hub for Marvel movies like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and TV shows like Cobra Kai. However, in April, 2021, Smith and director Antoine Fuqua announced they would move the production due to Georgia passing voter registration laws that would make it harder for Black people to vote.
At the time, Smith and Fuqua released a statement about the move. The film ultimately filmed on location in Louisiana. Production was also halted for positive COVID tests, according to Deadline.
“At this moment in time, the Nation is coming to terms with its history and is attempting to eliminate vestiges of institutional racism to achieve true racial justice,” the statement read. “We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access. The new Georgia voting laws are reminiscent of voting impediments that were passed at the end of Reconstruction to prevent many Americans from voting. Regrettably, we feel compelled to move our film production work from Georgia to another state.”
