“The Color Purple” is an adaptation of both the novel and Broadway musical, and was previously adapted by Spielberg in 1985. That film was a huge hit, taking in $98 million domestically against a $15 million budget. That would equate to roughly $280 million against a $43 million budget in today’s dollars. WB is certainly hoping for a similar performance here.
The film is a decades-spanning tale focusing on Celie’s journey to independence, finding strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. The ensemble cast includes Taraji P. Henson (“Hidden Figures”), Danielle Brooks (“Peacemaker”), Colman Domingo (“Fear the Walking Dead”), Corey Hawkins (“BlacKkKlansman”), H.E.R. (“Judas and the Black Messiah”), Halle Bailey (“The Little Mermaid”), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard”), and Fantasia Barrino in her major motion picture debut.
Luckily, critics are very much on this one’s side as the film currently holds an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. /Film’s Josh Spiegel wasn’t aligned with many other critics, and you can read his 4 out of 10 review right here. What really counts is how audiences feel about it. If it’s a crowd-pleaser that generates word-of-mouth buzz, it can leg out through the holidays and into awards season. If audiences are soft on it? That becomes far less likely.
Also of note is the fact that “Wonka,” yet another Warner Bros. release, is a musical with a big, $125 million budget. Can the market sustain two musicals — albeit very different ones — at the same time? Is WB going to cannibalize itself a bit? These are important questions. Frankly, musicals remain a tough sell. “La La Land” was the exception, not the rule. “Cyrano” ($6 million box office/$30 million budget) is closer to reality much of the time.