‘The Color Purple’ premieres Christmas Day, first footage shown at CinemaCon: ‘Not your mama’s Color Purple’

CinemaCon 2023 is fully underway, which means moviegoers can expect a treasure trove of sneak peeks and first looks flying their way. Among them is the 2023 remake of the musical drama The Color Purple, which unveiled its first teaser trailer to a chorus of applause and apparently an auditorium overcome with chills.

Taking the stage alongside director Blitz Bazawule, Oprah Winfrey, who played the character Sofia in the 1985 Steven Spielberg-directed film, called the movie a “full circle moment.” This time around, she is producing the film alongside Speilberg and Quincy Jones, and according to the trailer, the movie has been branded as “Not your mama’s Color Purple.”

In addition to revealing that the movie will premiere on Christmas Day, Oprah also brought the new cast of actors to the stage to revel in the spotlight. They are Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino, who will delight audiences as Shug Avery, Sofia, and Celie, respectively. 

Early reviews from those in attendance at CinemaCon say the film is “going to be a different thing entirely,” from the 1985 movie and that it “looks FANTASTIC,” according to @CineMovie and @TheGregoryE on Twitter. 

The film’s musical numbers are on track to blow audiences away, according to Fandango, which is hardly a surprise given Fantasia’s association with the project. In addition to playing Celie, Fantasia is known for winning season 3 of American Idol in 2004. Both she and Brooks previously played their respective characters on Broadway, in 2007 and 2015. The Color Purple will be Fantasia’s feature film debut. 

In addition to Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia, The Color Purple will also showcase performances from an all-star cast including Colman Domingo, Ciara, Halle Bailey, Aunjanue Ellis, H.E.R., Corey Hawkins, and Tony Award-nominated actor David Alan Grier, among others. 

Although the teaser trailer hasn’t been officially released to the public, it shouldn’t be too far behind. The Color Purple will premiere in U.S. theaters on Dec. 25.