These days, simply remaking a film isn't enough to build interest. So Warner Bros. will be not only remaking the 1985 drama The Color Purple based on the Alice Walker’s novel, they will also be putting a musical spin on it. Adapting the Tony Award winning Broadway musical to film, Fantasia Taylor will star as Celie and Danielle Brooks (Peacemaker, Orange Is The New Black) will play Sofia in Warner Bros’ film adaptation of the musical The Color Purple, with both reprising their respective roles on Broadway.
Other cast members includes Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R. and Halle Bailey in the film, which is being directed by Blitz Bazawule. Production begins this spring and is slated to release in 2023.
As part of the reveal tonight, Oprah Winfrey, who played Sofia in the original 1985 movie based on Alice Walker’s novel that, gave Brooks the news over Zoom.
The news was revealed Thursday during ABC’s Soul of a Nation: Screen Queens Rising special where Oprah Winfrey announced the cast for the up coming film. It was then that Winfrey addressed Brooks with special news.
“I am here representing all things purple to tell you that you are our Sophia, I’m so happy to pass whatever baton from 35 — almost 40 — years ago to you. And I know you’re gonna kill it.”
Winfrey said.
Fantasia, who hit the scene as the American Idol Season 3 winner, will again play Celie who Whoopi Goldberg played in the film directed by Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film adaptation of Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
The new film is a musical version of the work that ran on Broadway from 2005-2008. Fantasia played the role of Celie from 2007-2008 during the run. Brooks earned a Tony for playing Sofia in the revival, which ran from 2015-2017.
The original 1985 film earned 11 Oscars nominations while the original Broadway musical won one Tony and the revival won two!