Will Smith’s Apple Thriller ‘Emancipation’ Gets First Screening In DC

Will Smith is still repairing his public image after the Oscars slap incident, for which the actor has suffered grave consequences. Several of his ongoing projects were halted or pushed back as a result. It seems, he might be back in the business sooner than expected.

Apple held its first screening of ‘Emancipation’ on Saturday at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st annual Legislative Conference. The event was hosted by NAACP and several industry big shots attended it as well.

The Antoine Fuqua-directed thriller stars Will Smith as an enslaved man who, after recovering from a near-fatal whipping, runs through the swamps of Louisiana using only his wits in order to escape cold-blooded slave hunters and be finally free.

Emancipation was inspired by images shot of Peter in 1863 when the previously enslaved man joined the Union Army in the hopes of finding his family. Apple obtained the film rights in a record-breaking auction. The project was pushed back after Will Smith incurred a 10-year ban from the Academy.

At the moment there is no word on when ‘Emancipation” will hit the streaming services, but considering the positive feedback from the screening, it might happen next year. Check out the tweets below.

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