Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua Team on Runaway Slave Thriller ‘Emancipation’

[Bigbigguy]

Will Smith will star in the thriller “Emancipation,” which will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, sources tell Variety.

William N. Collage penned the script, based on the true story of Peter, a runaway slave forced to outwit cold-blooded hunters and the punishing Louisiana swamp on a tortuous journey to the Union Army and his only chance at freedom.

Production is expected to start early in 2021.

Smith, James Lassiter and Jon Mone will produce “Emancipation” through Westbrook Studios, along with McFarland Entertainment’s Joey McFarland and Escape Artists’ Todd Black. Fuqua will executive produce under his Fuqua Films banner, alongside Cliff Roberts.

CAA Media Finance, which arranged the financing for the film, represents U.S. rights; Film Nation Entertainment represents international sales. The movie will also be introduced to buyers at the upcoming virtual Cannes market.

Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua Team on Runaway Slave Thriller ‘Emancipation’

 

[Uno]

Need a different director

 

[Zero]

Will got the heart/chops for this?

But either way, I'm not itching for another slave movie

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

Need a different director

He's hit or miss. At least he's not safe which has been the problem with some of Will's movies (at least some years ago)

 

[MartyMcFly]

Not in the mood for this. At all. Would be there for any other movie Antoine and Will want to do (even though I really think Antoine is the wrong guy for this) but not this one. Tell new stories. We need to change the narrative and im tired of White America seeing us as victims, animals, or somewhere in between.

 

[jwinfield]

I guess Will gets to kill the white villain in this one

 

[steadyrighteous]

This is not the way you atone for passing on Django

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

Not in the mood for this. At all. Would be there for any other movie Antoine and Will want to do (even though I really think Antoine is the wrong guy for this) but not this one. Tell new stories. We need to change the narrative and im tired of White America seeing us as victims, animals, or somewhere in between.

who would you have in mind?

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

This is not the way you atone for passing on Django

What was his reasoning for passing up the role?

 

[Scottie Drippin]

What was his reasoning for passing up the role?

He, correctly, felt that Django was not truly the main character in the movie and wanted the script developed more in Django's direction. The movie is a Christoph Waltz vehicle until the third act.

Will as a rule only does movies where he is the star and it's developed around him.

Same with Denzel. It's why he's declined being a villain in the F&F movies.

 

[MartyMcFly]

who would you have in mind?

Steve McQueen. Barry Jenkins. Spike. One of the Hughes brothers or both. Antoine, at least so far, is an action guy and making thoughtful meditations on the human condition or social shyt isn’t his bag. I’d say he could surprise me but since I don’t want to see the movie, I’ll never know


And to answer the next question, no I won’t see It if the RT score is high. I don’t give a shyt about that

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

He, correctly, felt that Django was not truly the main character in the movie and wanted the script developed more in Django's direction. The movie is a Christoph Waltz vehicle until the third act.

Will as a rule only does movies where he is the star and it's developed around him.

Same with Denzel. It's why he's declined being a villain in the F&F movies.

That makes sense. I thought it was strange that he took on the SS role seeing that it was going to be an ensemble cast rather than focusing on one particular character.

 

[MartyMcFly]

That makes sense. I thought it was strange that he took on the SS role seeing that it was going to be an ensemble cast rather than focusing on one particular character.

There was the promise of getting his own franchise from that too.

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

There was the promise of getting his own franchise from that too.

Deadshot is also a relatively unknown character outside of the comic book world compared to a character like Harley Quinn (who got more focus). If anyone was going to get a spinoff, then it would be her.

 

[Ironman]

who would you have in mind?

A different script