Apple pays for Will Smith’s slap

Emancipation, an upcoming action thriller film starring Will Smith is scheduled to be released in 2023.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, and written by N. Collage, the film is about a slave named Peter who escapes from a Louisiana plantation, outwitting hunters, as he makes his way north to join the Union Army.

The film, however, faces a minor hurdle which is to decide whether or not to delay the film’s release due to Will Smith’s actions at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars) in March this year.

This year’s winner for best actor for King Richard, Will Smith was banned by the Oscar’s after he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage.

For the slap, the academy banned Smith for a decade which put’s Apple Studios in a challenging position for the Emancipation film.

This film Emancipation is reportedly ready for release.

The film faces a tough challenge since Smith is the lead, and is barred from one of the biggest film and television award show.

The film not only faces rejection from the Oscars, but a quick release may surf on the negative publicity Smith has based on his actions at the Oscars.

The film may risk it and trust production in the hopes that the film will carry it’s message to deliver a powerful performance from it’s cast.

Viewers including the Oscars may then relook their sanction or the film may risk a total protest from the public.

Which ever it maybe, the decision for the film remains a challenging one.

In 2020 patently Apple confirmed it came out tops against Warner Bros, MGM, Lionsgate and Universal who were among the studios for world rights on Emancipation.

Bidding was said to have been around $75 million at some point, with Apple winning the bidding war.

The film would then premiere in theaters around the world and on Apple TV+ post 2021.

The action thriller film would show Smith as Peter outsmart his captors on a death defying journey.

Considering Apple spent $120 million for the film it will be interesting to see if the production will be shelved or tabled with no potential for an Oscar.

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