A new image from King Richard shows Will Smith's character taking young Venus and Serena Williams to their tennis practice. Smith plays the sisters' father and coach, Richard Williams, in the upcoming biographical drama from director Reinaldo Marcus Green. King Richard is slated for a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release on November 19, 2021.
The film will explore the Williams sisters' teenage years in Compton, California and how their driven, demanding father helped position them to become icons in a sport that carries associations of whiteness and privilege. Saniyya Sidney (American Horror Story: Roanoke) and Demi Singleton will play Venus and Serena, respectively, while Lovecraft Country's Aunjanue Ellis is set to play the girls' mother, Oracene "Brandy" Price. Jon Bernthal appears as pro tennis coach Rick Macci in a supporting cast that also includes Dylan McDermott and Tony Goldwyn. Smith, though, is positioned as the film's big star, with reports saying he was paid $40 million for his role in King Richard.
And now, a new promotional photo released by Fandango provides a new look at Smith alongside his fictional daughters. The three are centered in the image as Richard leads them to tennis practice. Though Venus and Serena are wearing identical white outfits, their father's clothing is dominated by red, putting more of a focus on him and, by extension, Smith and his leading role. Check out the new image for King Richard below:
King Richard premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, a sign that Warner Bros. considers it a major awards play, on September 2. And indeed, early reviews called the film a true crowd-pleaser and praised Smith's performance as Oscar-worthy, which will surely be the movie's chief draw for audiences. He has twice been nominated for Best Actor, but not since 2006's The Pursuit of Happyness, and he has yet to take home a golden statuette.
Receiving strong notices out of Telluride is a very good sign for Smith. The talented star has recently found more success at the box office than with critics, headlining films like Suicide Squad, Aladdin, and Gemini Man. He remains one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, but the time feels right for a prestige-drama comeback, and a biopic about the story behind Venus and Serena Williams seems on paper like an ideal vehicle. King Richard receiving that first stamp of approval means it is one to keep an eye on come Oscar season.
Source: Fandango
