‘The Color Purple’ Trailer + A Test Screening Reaction

Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for one of the two still unseen Oscar contenders: “The Color Purple.” The other being “Napoleon.”

Here we are, in fall of 2023, and practically every pundit has ‘Color Purple’ in their Best Picture predictions. With a bunch of contenders having just premiered at Venice, Telluride and TIFF, it’ll be a hard hill to climb for ‘Color Purple’ to make any dent this awards season.

Warner Bros. Pictures is set to open ”The Color Purple” in theaters on December 25, 2023. They’re banking hard on this one to be an Oscar contender. The trailer is well-made. Dan Laustsen’s photography looks unimpressive.

What I will say is that “The Color Purple” test-screened four times already, never a good sign, and reactions have been all over the place. For all of the buzz the film, and Fantasia Barrino’s performance, have been getting, Barrino is said to be outshone by supporting players Danielle Brooks and Taraji P. Henson. That’s been the general consensus I’ve had for a few months now.

However, here’s a positive reaction I gathered a few weeks ago from my go-to test viewer:

I actually really liked it. The lead role (Fantasia Barrino) was pretty typical and it wasn’t for the magnificent singing voice I’d shrug it off, but the real standouts are in supporting, Danielle Brooks and Taraji Henson are total showstoppers; it’s really hard to decide who’s taking supporting actress because they’re both just too good. The movie itself is a pretty spectacle, a decent amount of big musical set pieces with stunning set design (two fantasy ones, one set on a giant spinning record player is gorgeous) and a really solid adaptation all around, definitely feel good and audience friendly.

Steven Spielberg already made a film out of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel, which garnered many Oscar noms, including one for Best Picture. This one seems to be very different, a musical based on the 2005 musical with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

It’s directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones.

This film stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R, Halle Bailey, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Fantasia Barrino.