Trust  Will Smith to leave you stunned every time he graces the big screen. After a stellar performance in the Oscar-winning film, King Richards, followed by an infamous Chris Rock slap controversy, the actor has managed to take the audience by surprise, yet again. This time around, it was for a rather phenomenal reveal of his upcoming release Emancipation, which sees him in a never-seen-before avatar.

The film is said to be based on true events. It chronicles the story of an “enslaved man” who “embarks on a perilous journey to reunite with his family.” The teaser is intense and grabs your attention in an instant. Smith looks convincing as the slave who runs away from freedom, and the aftermath of what will follow his decision is what will make this well worth a watch.  

The audience feels the same. The film was originally released in 2022 but was delayed to a 2023 release after the Oscar tragedy. So, the anticipation amongst the audience only grew stronger. And fortunately, the makers did not disappoint. Many expressed the excitement to watch Smith on-screen after a while, and added that he deserves all the love after the Oscar fiasco.  

Check Out The Reactions Below: 

The film’s director, Antoine Fuqua told Deadline, “It felt incredible. This was really our first time experiencing it with a complete film and an audience. To watch people react, gasping, talking and commenting on things that were happening in the film, really all the things you hope your movie would do for an audience. It moved them, entertained them. We had a great conversation about the subject matter that was important to them. So, yeah, it was pretty amazing.” 

“We need to know the truth to begin the healing. We have a lot of healing to do here, but if we can look at the film with open hearts and open minds, and have a real conversation about the ugly brutality and reality of slavery, that might help with the healing. I think it is important for people to see that,” he added. Will Smith’s film will premiere in theatres on December 2 and will stream on Apple TV+ starting December 9. 

(Featured Image Credits: Twitter @appletv+)