Taraji P. Henson Sings Up A Storm In The Color Purple Musical Trailer

Almost 40 years after Steven Spielberg debuted his adaptation of author Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Color Purple" and turned it into an Oscar-nominated awards darling (though it came away with zero wins, incredibly enough), and almost 20 years after the story was adapted as a celebrated musical on Broadway, Warner Bros. is getting another kick at the can. This time, they're combining the best of both worlds. Most everyone knows the classic story about Black sisters growing up under severe abuse and racial discrimination in the American South, spanning decades of their lives in an epic drama. But there's still plenty of heartfelt drama and stirring musical numbers to bring to life on the big screen, as audiences across the world are about to find out.

Directed by multi-hyphenate artist Blitz Bazawule, "The Color Purple" has snagged a prime Christmas Day release date that should attract plenty of families to the theaters while also setting itself up for a possible awards run. This latest adaptation boasts an eye-popping ensemble of actors and musical talent, from Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson to Danielle Brooks to Halle Bailey (of "The Little Mermaid" breakout fame) and many, many more. Check out the new trailer below!

It's no easy task to try and improve on both a Steven Spielberg classic and an acclaimed Broadway musical (which was revived in 2016 and remains fresh in the minds of audiences), but the creative team involved in this latest take on "The Color Purple" sure seem like they might have pulled off the impossible. It helps that the film comes with the creative blessing of executive producers Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, of course, along with the original musical producers Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. Billed as a "bold new take on the beloved classic" and positioning itself as a story for a new generation, those involved aren't shying away from the comparisons and high standards. Take one look at the trailer and, well, it's pretty obvious why they have all the confidence in the world.

"The Color Purple" is directed by the Ghana-born and New York-based artist Blitz Bazawule, who has put together a remarkable career as a filmmaker, author, singer/songwriter, and record producer. He's backed by a screenplay written by Marcus Gardley, an accomplished writer and playwright. They have the privilege of working with an ensemble cast of all-stars that includes Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, rising star Halle Bailey as Nettie, "In the Heights" breakout Corey Hawkins as Harpo, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, H.E.R. as Squeak, the always-great Colman Domingo as the sinister Albert "Mister" Johnson, and even artist Fantasia Barrino making her feature film debut as Celie.

"The Color Purple" will roll out the purple carpet on Christmas Day for North American audiences, followed by an international theatrical release beginning January 18, 2024.