In what has been rumored to be one of the biggest Cannes festival acquisitions of all time, AppleTV+ has acquired rights for ‘Emancipation’ at $105 million net. Deadline has reported the deal as coming in above $120 million once backend gross buyouts are factored in.
The film, written by William N. Collage, will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Will Smith. Smith will portray Peter, a runway slave being hunted as he journeys north through Louisiana. The story continues on with Peter joining the Union Army.
The script, modeled on true events, was inspired by famous photo “The Scourged Back”. The image was taken in 1863 during an Army medical examination and appeared in the Independent and in the July 4 issue of Harper’s Weekly.
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