Apple Sees Oscar Potential in Will Smith’s Slavery Epic ‘Emancipation’

Will Smith will need to amp up that apology tour this fall. Maybe a one-hour special with Oprah, add in a televised therapy session with Dr. Phil and then an Oscar campaign can commence.

A New York Times report on Apple’s major headache regarding the Smith-starring “Emancipation” reads like a biblical dilemma.

According to three anonymous sources, there have been discussions inside Apple to release the $120 million costing “Emancipation” by the end of the year, which would make it eligible for awards consideration. Others within Apple are against the idea of releasing it at thhe risk of potentially damaging their brand.

Also, notice how this NYT piece is being released just days after Apple’s big Oscar horse, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” completely tanked with critics at TIFF. Apple is desperate, an awards campaign is maybe brewing behind “Emanicipation.”

Per the NYT:

To some, the film may be too good to keep quiet. Apple set up a general audience test screening of “Emancipation” in Chicago earlier this year, according to three people with knowledge of the event who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss it publicly. They said it generated an overwhelmingly positive reaction, specifically for Mr. Smith’s performance, which one of the people called “volcanic.” Audience members, during the after-screening feedback, said they were not turned off by Mr. Smith’s recent public behavior.

The main question I have is simple, just how good can a movie directed by Antoine Fuqua actually be?

Regardles, Apple should just release the damn thing. There is no point in delaying ”Emancipation” any further. It’s that simple. You don’t think there will be an audience for this movie? You’d be surprised. People are now more interested in Smith than they have been in years. Hell, I bet an inordinate amount of his haters will likely stream “Emancipation,” just out of sheer curiosity.

Earlier this year, Smith was himself slapped with a 10-year ban by the Academy, he now can’t attend any Oscar-related event until 2033. The irony about the AMPAS‘ ban is that people like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey are still technically not banned from the Oscars.

Of course, I’ll still watch “Emancipation”. The Oscar slap happened, but what’s the point of pretending I’m still outraged by it. The guy is a good actor and if he can dive deeply into the skin of his character in “Emancipation,” then who cares.