As 2022 approached, Apple TV+ was gearing up to launch its original film slate with a massive blockbuster original picture, “Emancipation,” directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Will Smith.
However, as a result of the continuing repercussions surrounding Smith’s decision to attack Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, Variety reports that the film’s release date has been pushed back to 2023.
Although Apple has never officially given Emancipation a release date, it was generally believed to be one of Apple’s award darlings for the next circuit, with a fall release.
This follows Apple Original Film’s feat of receiving a Best Picture nomination during its first two years of eligibility, making Apple TV+ the first streaming service to do so.
Emancipation had a good chance of extending that trend, at least until Smith lost his cool at the Oscars and slapped presenter Chris Rock in front of millions of viewers, in a gesture so unexpected that many assumed it was a joke at first.
As soon as that occurred, the chances for Emancipation honors vanished-especially because the issue was still fresh in people’s minds.
Smith is now barred from attending future Oscar festivities for the next decade, despite the fact that he is still eligible to be nominated.
According to Variety, post-production on the picture is still happening, which might be another cause of the timeline delay.
However, Apple is more likely to wait a year and hope Smith’s image has recovered considerably by autumn 2023, giving Emancipation the greatest chance of being well accepted by crowds and reviewers. After all, the picture cost more than $100 million to make.
What’s fortunate for Apple is that its forthcoming slate includes a slew of Oscar contenders, including “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” “Raymond and Ray,” “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” and its first animated picture, “Luck.“
The $200 million Martin Scorsese-directed “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is also anticipated to create ripples when it is released, but it is unknown if post-production will be completed in time for a 2022 release.
