The Color Purple musical movie casts King Richard star Aunjanue Ellis. Originally a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple was published in 1982 and soon adapted into a successful feature film in 1985, directed by Steven Spielberg. Following the lives and struggles of a group of African-American women living in the deep south during the 1900s, the novel (and movie) received critical acclaim for exploring topics such as race relations, poverty, class, sexism, and more. In 2018, it was announced that a film adaptation of the musical version was in development, and that Spielberg would produce.

And a recent announcement on Twitter, director Blitz Bazawule reveals that Ellis has been added to The Color Purple musical movie's cast. IMDb lists the 53-year-old in the role of Mama, and she will join a cast that includes Halle Berry, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, and Corey Hawkins. The movie will be adapted from the stage musical version of the story, and, along with Spielberg, it will also be produced by the stage musical's producers, Scott Sanders and Oprah Winfrey, who appeared in the original movie.

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Set for December 20, 2023 release, the movie will mark Bazawule's American feature film debut, with the screenplay penned by Marcus Gardley, who previously wrote for Netflix series Maid. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film, with Amblin Entertainment producing - the two companies that worked on the original movie. Anticipation is said to be high, with Winfrey claiming she and the producers "were all blown away by Blitz's unique vision as a director..." The Color Purple is a story with a hugely important message, and represents another strong role for Ellis, after playing Oracene Price in King Richard.

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Source: Blitz Bazawule/Twitter