Apple to Produce Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua Runaway Slave Story 'Emancipation'

Apple has won in an auction the worldwide distribution rights to “Emancipation,” a thriller based on the true story of a runaway slave that Apple will produce and that will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and star Will Smith, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.

The deal for the film was made out of the Cannes Virtual Market and will premiere in theaters and on Apple TV+.

Willam N. Collage wrote the original script that’s based on true events and is the story of Peter, a runaway slave forced to outwit cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on a tortuous journey North. Once there, he joined the Union Army. When Peter showed his bare back during an Army medical examination, photos were taken of the scars from a whipping delivered by an overseer on the plantation owned by John and Bridget Lyons that nearly killed him.

Also Read: Will Smith, Warner Bros. Face Lawsuit Over Breach of Contract With 'King Richard' Film

The film is inspired by the famous “scourged back” photograph that was published by the Independent in May, 1863 and then in Harper’s Weekly’s July 4 issue, and it became indisputable proof of the cruelty and barbarity of slavery in America. The photo reached around the world, and legend has it that it made countries like France refuse to buy cotton from the South. It solidified the cause of abolitionists and prompted many free blacks to join the Union Army.

It was reported when the film was presented at Cannes that “Emancipation” would be described as an action thriller and is eyeing a production start in early 2021.

“Emancipation” will be produced by Apple Studios, alongside Smith through Westbrook Studios, Fuqua and his Fuqua Films, Todd Black and Escape Artists and Joey McFarland. McFarland began researching and developing the story and characters in 2018. He engaged Collage to pen the script and then brought it to Fuqua and Smith.

CAA Media Finance, which arranged the financing for the film, represented U.S. rights, and Film Nation Entertainment represents international sales.

Also Read: Award Shows Go Virtual This Year: What Will They Look Like?

Apple recently landed Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro from Paramount Pictures. Both films join a slate that now also includes “Greyhound,” the Tom Hanks WWII movie acquired from Sony set to premiere July 10, “Swan Song,” a genre-bending drama starring Mahershala Ali, “On The Rocks” from Sofia Coppola, starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, “The Sky is Everywhere” from A24, the Sundance documentary “Boys State” and “Sharper” starring Julianne Moore.

The deal also continues Apple’s relationship with Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and their Westbrook Entertainment. Apple’s heads of worldwide video Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht have worked with the duo and their producing partners in their former role as presidents of Sony Pictures Television, where they produced Pinkett Smith’s “Hawthorne,” as well as “The Queen Latifah Show.” While at Apple, Van Amburg and Erlicht worked with Pinkett Smith on the feature film “Hala,” which she executive produced and that debuted on Apple TV+ last year.

Fuqua’s last film was “The Equalizer 2” in 2018, and he’s in post-production on the sci-fi film “Infinite” starring Mark Wahlberg.

Smith last starred in “Bad Boys For Life” released earlier this year, which in part because of the coronavirus remains the box office champ for 2020, bringing in $419 million worldwide. He was also in the midst of filming the biopic “King Richard” for Warner Bros. before production shut down.

Smith and Fuqua are both represented by CAA.

News of the sale was first reported by Deadline.

For the record: Apple will produce the film, whereas a previous version of the story said Apple merely “acquired” the movie

'30 Rock,' 'Scrubs' and Other TV Shows and Movies Pulled Over Blackface and Racial Insensitivity (Photos)

The May 25 killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police prompted protests over police brutality and racial injustice across the country — leading many networks and streaming services to reconsider programming. Here are some movies and TV shows that have been canceled or shelved (sometimes temporarily).
"COPS"

In the wake of protests over police brutality following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the Paramount Network canceled the long-running reality show "COPS" one week ahead of premiering its 33rd season. The show, which ran on Fox for 25 years, jumped to Paramount Network (then called Spike TV) in 2013.

Paramount Network
"Gone With the Wind"

HBO Max quietly pulled the Oscar-winning 1939 movie, which has long been criticized for racist depictions of black people for for glorifying the Civl War-era south, from the weeks-old streaming service. In a statement on June 9, the company explained that the "ethnic and racial prejudices" depicted in the film "were wrong then and are wrong today." The company reintroduced the film with a video introduction noting “the film’s treatment of this world through a lens of nostalgia denies the horrors of slavery, as well as its legacy of racial inequality."
WarnerMedia
"Live PD"

On June 10, A&E abruptly canceled the Dan Abrams-hosted reality show "Live PD" that had been its top-rated series. The decision came amid ongoing protests over police brutality but also followed producers' admission they had destroyed footage of a 40-year-old Texas man who died in police custody after being tased while begging for his life.
A&E
Chris Lilley's “Summer Heights High,” “Angry Boys,” “We Can Be Heroes” and “Jonah From Tonga”

Four comedies from Australian comic Chris Lilley were pulled from Netflix in New Zealand and Australia due to criticisms of the shows’ depictions of people of color and the use of blackface and brownface makeup by Lilley, who is white, and others on the shows. Lilley uses blackface to play black rapper S.mouse in “Angry Boys” and brownface to play Jonah, a teenage Tonga native, in “Summer Heights High” and its spinoff series “Jonah From Tonga.” In “We Can Be Heroes,” he plays Ricky Wong, a Chinese physics student.
Australian Broadcast Company
"Little Britain"

The BBC sketch comedy show, which aired from 2003-05 and featured David Walliams and Matt Lucas playing a range of often stereotypical characters (sometimes in blackface) was pulled from most U.K. streaming services in early June, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox.
BBC
"Fawlty Towers"

The BBC removed a 1975 episode of the classic John Cleese sitcom that included a number of racial epithets, including the N-word, from its UKTV streaming service. After lobbying from Cleese and others, the network announced it would reinstate the episode with "extra guidance and warnings ... to highlight potentially offensive content."
BBC
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

On June 11, Netflix pulled a sixth-season episode of the long-running sitcom from its service in the U.K. over the depiction of two characters wearing blackface. (The series streams on Hulu in the U.S.)
"W/ Bob and David"

On June 16, Netflix pulled an episode of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’ sketch comedy series “W/ Bob and David” over a sketch that features Cross in blackface. Cross and Odenkirk have since defended the sketch.
Netflix
"The Mighty Boosh" and "The League of Gentleman"

These English comedies were pulled from Netflix in the UK over scenes involving blackface. They were not previously available in the U.S.
A scene from "The Mighty Boosh" via YouTube
"30 Rock"

Co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, along with NBCUniversal, requested the removal of four episodes containing blackface and other racially insensitive material.

Also Read: Tina Fey Pulls 4 ’30 Rock’ Episodes From Circulation, Apologizes for Blackface Use
NBCU
"Scrubs"

Hulu removed three episodes of the sitcom “Scrubs” which featured blackface at the request of the show’s producers and ABC Studios. Series creator Bill Lawrence had previously tweeted that an effort to remove offensive episodes of the show was in the works.

Also Read: Three ‘Scrubs’ Episodes Featuring Blackface Pulled From Streaming (Exclusive)
NBC
"Community"

In late June, Netflix pulled the “Community” Season 2 episode “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons,” which features Ken Jeong’s character, Ben Chang, wearing blackface during a game of “Dungeons & Dragons."
NBC
"Golden Girls"

Hulu pulled a third-season episode of the classic sitcom in which Rue McClanahan and Betty White's characters are mistaken for wearing blackface when they are actually wearing mud masks.

1 of 14

New times call for a new look at what we should watch and stream

The May 25 killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police prompted protests over police brutality and racial injustice across the country — leading many networks and streaming services to reconsider programming. Here are some movies and TV shows that have been canceled or shelved (sometimes temporarily).

View In Gallery

'30 Rock,' 'Scrubs' and Other TV Shows and Movies Pulled Over Blackface and Racial Insensitivity (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL