Five Things You Need to Know About the New Film 'The Color Purple'

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For those of you in the audience who love a movie adaptation, there's one that should be on your roster in 2024. The Color Purple is set to make a resounding return to the silver screen, and this time, it's been reimagined as a musical.

The decades-spanning tale tells an extraordinary story of love and resilience, and a woman of colour's journey to independence and the bonds of sisterhood. Before you head to a cinema to see it for yourself, here are the five things you should know about The Color Purple — which is poised to captivate a new generation of viewers.

1. THE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT STORY WAS FIRST A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL

Penned by American writer Alice Walker, The Color Purple made its mark as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel when it was published in 1982.

Told through letters, the narrative explores the complexities of race, gender and sexuality — themes that weren't widely written about at the time, let alone in a piece of popular fiction. The story follows the life of Celie, a Black woman in the early 20th century in Georgia in the USA's south, as she navigates oppression from society and patriarchal family structures and discovers the power of sisterhood.

Merely two years after the novel was published, movie producers were knocking down Walker's door to adapt it for the big screen. This would mean the story would be brought to the attention of even more people, highlighting the struggles of women of colour.

This latest version aims to bring a more hopeful and lifted atmosphere to the story. It has already been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and smashed the US box office when it was released on Christmas Day.

2. STEVEN SPIELBERG AND OPRAH WINFREY RETURN TO BRING THE STORY TO A NEW GENERATION

Alice Walker herself was highly involved in the first movie adaptation; she wrote the initial script draft and insisted on the film being produced with mostly Black talent in front of and behind the camera.

The film was directed by Steven Spielberg in a departure from the blockbuster adventure and sci-fi flicks that had made him famous. It was also only the second movie that Spielberg made without his regular musical collaborator John Williams (who had composed the legendary scores for Jaws and the Indiana Jones movies), instead working alongside pop legend Quincy Jones on The Color Purple's musical score.

Walker was initially sceptical, as was Spielberg, as he lacked the life experience of a person of colour in the deep south. But he did know how to make a damn good movie. The rest is cinematic history.

This iteration of the story also saw the big-screen launch of Whoopi Goldberg and featured the first cinematic role for Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey has been a staunch supporter of The Color Purple and has been involved in most adaptations of the story for stage and screen. The trio of Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah are all returning to breathe new life into this classic, this time as the film's producers (but keep an eye out for a brief onscreen return for one of the original film's main stars).

3. IT TELLS A POWERFUL COMING-OF-AGE TALE OF SISTERHOOD

At its core, The Color Purple weaves a poignant and universally meaningful coming-of-age tale centred around the bonds of sisterhood. As Celie navigates her challenging journey, the connection she has with women in her life — her younger sister Nettie, the songstress Shug and the outspoken Sofia — becomes a source of strength, resilience and empowerment.

In every adaptation of the tale, each of these women goes on their own journey. They each struggle and overcome their struggles with help from one another, help that is unasked for but gratefully received. Celie faces unfathomable hardships in her life, but through her relationships with these women, she finds her own way and, ultimately, her independence and sense of self.

4. THIS VERSION IS BASED ON THE BROADWAY STAGE MUSICAL

Prepare to be swept away by soulful melodies because this adaptation is based on the acclaimed Broadway stage musical. 

Director Blitz Bazawule — a Ghanaian multimedia artist who was co-director of Beyonce's Black Is King and made his feature debut with the Afrofuturistic The Burial of Kojo — takes Walker's original novel and the screenplay by acclaimed playwright and WGA Award winner Marcus Gardley (I'm a Virgo), and incorporates elements from Spielberg's film adaption including an original song sung by the character Shug in the juke joint.

The film's other songs woven throughout come from the hit musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and won two Tony Awards for its revival in 2016.

5. YOU'VE SEEN ITS STARS BEFORE — AND YOU WILL AGAIN

The ensemble cast of The Color Purple boasts a lineup of wildly talented familiar faces that have graced both stage and screen.

Grammy- and American Idol-winner Fantasia Barrino is making her major motion picture debut and reprising her 2005 role from Broadway as lead character Celie. Joining her from the Broadway production is Danielle Brooks as Sofia (you'll probably recognise Brooks from her role as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson on Orange Is the New Black). She received a Tony nomination for her portrayal.

Grammy-nominee Halle Bailey joins as the younger version of Nettie, Celie's younger sister. Bailey made literal waves as Ariel in the Disney live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid. The film also stars Oscar-nominee Taraji P Henson (Hidden Figures) as songstress Shug Avery, Tony-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Rustin) as Celie's abusive husband Mister and the film's main antagonist, and Tony Award-nominee Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead, Straight Outta Compton) as Sofia's husband Harpo. Finally, rounding out the central cast is Oscar- and Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. (Judas and the Black Messiah).

Other notables on the roster include Oscar-nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard), the legendary Louis Gossett Jr (An Officer and a Gentleman) and Oscar-winner Jon Batiste (Soul).

Book your tickets now to see The Color Purple — only in cinemas from Thursday, January 25.