''Emancipation'' is a 2022 American

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

action thriller The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

film directed by

Antoine Fuqua Antoine Fuqua (; born May 30, 1965) is an American film director known for his work in the action and thriller genres. He was originally known as a director of music videos, and made his film debut in 1998 with '' The Replacement Killers''. His ...

, written by William N. Collage, and co-produced by

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...

, who stars as a

runaway slave ''Runaway Slave'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G. It was released on September 22, 1992, via Payday/London Records. The album was produced by Showbiz and fellow D.I.T.C. crew member Diamond D. It features g ...

headed for

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

in the 1860s, after President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

issued the

Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation, officially Proclamation 95, was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Proclamation had the eff ...

to end slavery in secessionist

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

states, surviving the swamps while being chased by

slave catcher A slave catcher is a person employed to track down and return escaped slaves to their enslavers. The first slave catchers in the Americas were active in European colonies in the West Indies during the sixteenth century. In colonial Virginia a ...

s and their dogs. Ben Foster stars as a ruthless slave hunter and Charmaine Bingwa as an enslaved wife and mother. The film is loosely based on the life of a self-emancipated slave, known as either Gordon or "Whipped Peter". That story was made famous by the photograph of a man's bare back heavily

scourge A scourge is a whip or lash, especially a multi-thong type, used to inflict severe corporal punishment or self-mortification. It is usually made of leather. Etymology The word is most commonly considered to be derived from Old French ''escorgie ...

d from an overseer's whippings, which was published worldwide as magazine illustrations in 1863, and gave the

abolitionist movement Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. T ...

proof of the cruelty of slavery. Producer Joey McFarland began researching that story in 2018, and hired Collage to write the script. The film was officially announced in June 2020, with Fuqua to direct and Smith to star. Filming was in Louisiana between July and August 2021, with

Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

paying to acquire the rights to the film, outbidding several other studios. It was screened in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, on October 1, 2022, and released in select cinemas on December 2, 2022, then streamed on December 9 on

Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service w ...

. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Smith's performance, but criticized the screenplay and its handling of real-life events.

Plot

At a Louisiana cotton

plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...

in 1863, a slave named "Peter" is praying with his family when his owner, John Lyons, and a group of white men drag him out of his home at gunpoint. As the wagon carrying him pulls away, Peter cries out to his wife Dodienne and his children that they must stay together until he can find his way back to them. Reaching a

encampment in

Clinton, Louisiana Clinton is a town in, and the parish seat of, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town was named for New York Governor DeWitt Clinton. The population was 1,340 in 2020. It is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical are ...

, he is put to work alongside other conscripted slaves. The slaves are poorly fed and clothed despite the grueling labor and endure cruel treatment at the hands of their white guards. They are whipped, set upon by dogs, branded and dragged by horses if they try to run away, or shot if they stop working because of exhaustion. Peter tells the disheartened slaves to just believe in

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

and pray. One day, Peter snaps and attacks one of the guards, triggering an uprising. He and several other slaves escape into the nearby swamps, pursued by the

Fassel and his men. One slave is unable to swim across a river due to fear of

alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

s and is caught. After revealing the other slaves’ plans, Fassel shoots him and leaves his body for the gators. The three remaining men split up and go their separate ways. With no supplies or even a clear idea of where to go, Peter nevertheless manages to evade his pursuers time and time again. Just as he is about to reach the safety of Union-held

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

, Fassel ambushes him and offers to spare his life if he returns to slavery. Peter refuses, but before Fassel kills him, he is fatally shot in the throat by a black member of the 1st Louisiana Native Guard. Peter is taken to a Union field hospital to recover. A photograph of his back is then taken and distributed throughout the United States to help rally public support for the end of slavery. Peter enlists in the Native Guard; while under fire from Confederate troops, he demonstrates great bravery and is quickly promoted. He spends the rest of the war helping to liberate Confederate plantations, while also reuniting with Dodienne and their children. In the epilogue, the text states that thanks to the momentum from

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

, over four million slaves were freed by Union forces by the war's end in 1865.

Cast

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

* Ben Foster as Fassel the slave hunter * Charmaine Bingwa as Dodienne, Peter's wife * Jayson Warner Smith as John Lyons, cotton plantation owner * Austin Alexander as Trapp, white plantation worker whom Peter bites * Britton Webb as Bijoux, white plantation worker helping Trapp * Jesse C. Boyd as Mike Hurley, white plantation worker who puts a gun to Dodienne's head *

Steven Ogg Steven Ogg (born November 4, 1973) is a Canadian actor and writer. Ogg is best known for playing Trevor Philips in the 2013 video game ''Grand Theft Auto V,'' Simon in '' The Walking Dead,'' and being a spokesman for '' Old Spice.'' He has ...

as Ordnance sergeant Howard, a Confederate soldier guarding slaves at the railroad camp *

Grant Harvey Grant Harvey (born June 30, 1984) is an American actor who is known for starring in films and television series such as '' Animal Kingdom'', '' The Crossing'', ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager'', '' Thumper'' and '' Billy Boy''. Earl ...

as Leeds, a Confederate soldier guarding slaves at the railroad camp * Gilbert Owuor as

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Gordon Heuck ...

, Peter's slave friend who escapes the railroad camp and makes it separately to the Union Army in Baton Rouge *

Michael Luwoye Michael Luwoye (; born December 19, 1990) is an American actor of Nigerian descent, known for playing the title role in the Broadway musical ''Hamilton''. In 2022, was nominated for the Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice Perfo ...

as John, the branded slave skeptical of Peter who escapes the railroad camp but doesn't make it to freedom * Jabbar Lewis as Tomas, Peter's slave friend who escapes the railroad camp but gets shot by Fassel in a river *

Ronnie Gene Blevins Ronnie Gene Blevins (born June 20, 1977) is an American character actor. He is best known for his role as small-time criminal Willie Russell in the 2013 film '' Joe'', directed by David Gordon Green. Career His TV credits include '' NCIS'', '' ...

as Harrington, Fassel's white slave-hunting assistant *

Aaron Moten Aaron Clifton Moten (born February 28, 1989) is an American actor. He began acting as a youth, playing in his school theatre program. After graduating from the Juilliard School, he began professionally acting in New York City, playing in the main ...

as Knowls, the former slave who works with Fassel and Harrington capturing runaway slaves, whom Peter calls "the worst kind" * Imani Pullum as Betsy, Peter's older daughter * Jeremiah Friedlander as Scipion, Peter's son * Jordyn McIntosh as Laurette, Peter's young daughter * Landon Chase Dubois as Little Peter *

Mustafa Shakir Mustafa Shakir (born August 21, 1976) is an American actor known for his portrayal as Bushmaster in '' Marvel's Luke Cage'', Big Mike in ''The Deuce'' and Jet Black in ''Cowboy Bebop'' (2021). Biography and career Shakir was born in North Ca ...

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

André Cailloux of the First Louisiana Native Guard in the Union Army *

Paul Ben-Victor Paul Ben-Victor (born ) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Greek mobster Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', Alan Gray in '' Entourage'' (2005–2008), and Ray in '' Body Parts'' (1991). Early lif ...

as Major G. Halstead who inducts Peter into the Union Army *

David Denman David Denman (born July 25, 1973) is an American actor. He made his film debut in '' The Replacements'' (2000) before his breakout role as Roy Anderson on the NBC sitcom ''The Office'' (2005–2008; 2011–2012), which earned him a Screen Actors ...

as General

William Dwight William Dwight Jr. (July 14, 1831 – April 21, 1888), was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Raised in Massachusetts, he came from a notable family of military leaders. Early life William Dwight was born July 14, 1831, in ...

Production

Development and casting

On June 15, 2020, it was reported that

would direct

in ''Emancipation'', based on a

spec script A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned and unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or ...

written by William N. Collage. Producer Joey McFarland, who had started researching and developing the film in 2018, recruited Collage to write the script. Fuqua said:

Warner Bros Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American film studio, filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and th ...

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

Lionsgate Lions Gate, Lion Gate or similar terms may refer to: Gates *Lion Gate at Mycenae in Greece *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the ancient Hittite city of Hattusa, now in Turkey *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the gardens of Hampton Court Pala ...

, and

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

bid on the film before

ultimately won distribution rights for over . In August 2021, Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, and

joined the cast. Smith was paid $35 million for his involvement.

Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

was expected to begin on May 3, 2021, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. It was later set to begin on June 21, 2021, in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, but on April 12, it was announced that the film would be shot elsewhere due to the recently enacted

Election Integrity Act of 2021 The Election Integrity Act of 2021, originally known as the Georgia Senate Bill 202, is a law in the U.S. state of Georgia overhauling elections in the state. It replaced signature recognition, signature matching requirements on absentee ballots ...

. Smith and Fuqua said in a joint statement: "We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access." The location move was reported to have cost approximately . Filming was announced to take place in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

from July 12 to August 21, 2021. On August 2, filming paused for five days due to several positive

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

tests. Additional casting for the film was announced in November and December.

Music

The film score is by

Marcelo Zarvos Marcelo Uchoa Zarvos is a Brazilian pianist and film composer. Early life Zarvos was born in São Paulo. He began in classical music in his teens and studied at the Berklee College of Music. He later attended the California Institute of the Arts ...

, who described the music as "spiritual and untraditional" per Fuqua's suggestions. He employed a 70-piece orchestra, a 40-member choir, and soloists from around the world, for traditional American and African sounds. The soundtrack was released by Lakeshore Records on December 9, 2022.

Release

A screening of ''Emancipation'' was held at the

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) is an American educational foundation. It conducts research on issues affecting African Americans, publishes a yearly report on key legislation, and sponsors issue forums, leadership seminars and ...

's 51st Annual Legislative Conference in

, on October 1, 2022, with Smith and Fuqua in attendance to give a subsequent Q&A discussion. It was screened in

, on October 24, 2022. The film premiered in theaters on December 2, 2022, and was streamed on Apple TV+ on December 9. While Smith had been attached to the film in 2020, and principal photography had moved forward in the summer of 2021, the controversy over Smith slapping

Chris Rock Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He first gained prominence for his stand-up routines in the 1980s in which he tackled subjects including race relations, human sexuality, and obse ...

at the March 2022

94th Academy Awards The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The awards were scheduled after their usual late February dat ...

was cited in May 2022, when the film's release was delayed to a tentative 2023 date; production delays and an overcrowded film release schedule from Apple were also cited in the May announcement. It was subsequently moved to its final date.

Reception

Critical response

The slapping incident was referenced in some reviews; in a positive first-day review from ''

Screen International ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company which also owned '' Broadcast''. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involv ...

''s Tim Grierson, before the collective mixed to average reviews had been published, he hoped that enough positive reviews might overcome the possibility that the "scandal may temper audiences' enthusiasm" to see the film.

Accolades

References

External links

* {{Apple TV+ 2022 action drama films 2022 action thriller films 2022 films 2020s American films 2020s chase films 2020s English-language films Films set in 1863 2020s historical action films 2020s historical drama films 2020s historical thriller films Action drama films based on actual events African Americans in the American Civil War American action drama films American action thriller films American chase films American Civil War films American films based on actual events American historical action films American historical drama films American historical thriller films Apple TV+ original films Drama films based on actual events Escape Artists films Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Films about American slavery Films directed by Antoine Fuqua Films produced by Will Smith Films scored by Marcelo Zarvos Films set in Louisiana Films set in swamps Films shot in New Orleans Overbrook Entertainment films Action thriller films based on actual events English-language historical drama films English-language action drama films English-language action thriller films English-language historical thriller films