Will Smith wants everybody to watch Emancipation, so much so that if you don’t currently subscribe to Apple TV+, then the bill is on him. Starring Smith in his first major role since the infamous “Oscars slap,” Emancipation is now available to stream on Apple TV+. However, one issue many have with this release is that it requires a paid subscription, and Smith is aware of how many people there are refusing to pay for another streaming service. The actor wants to get around that by offering a 2-month free trial, giving people the opportunity to watch Emancipation free of charge with an extra two months to enjoy the streamer’s other programming.
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“I’ve been reading a lot of the comments, and I’ve seen a lot of the people saying they don’t have Apple TV+, and that’s not acceptable to me. So, I got two months free of Apple TV+ for everybody to watch Emancipation,” Smith says in a video posted to Instagram, noting that the trial offer can be found at Apple.co/willgift.
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For those who already have the streaming service, Smith adds, “I know, y’all that already got Apple TV+ are like, ‘Thanks, Will, I already got it.’ Yeah? Your aunt doesn’t.”
Emancipation Will Be Eligible for the Oscars in 2023
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By coming out before the end of the year, Emancipation will be eligible for the Academy Awards next year. Smith has been banned from attending any Oscars ceremonies for the next decade, but he is still eligible to be nominated and potentially win. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but the release strategy does suggest that the brass at Apple feel that Smith has a chance of getting back into the Oscar conversation in 2023.
Antoine Fuqua directed Emancipation using a screenplay by William N. Collage. Along with Smith, the film stars Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Steven Ogg, Mustafa Shakir, Timothy Hutton, and Gilbert Owuor. Smith produced with Todd Black, Joey McFarland, and Jon Mone.
Based on a true story, Emancipation follows Smith as a slave who escapes the brutal torment endured at a plantation, eventually heading up North and joining the Union Army. The film is inspired by the story of Gordon, a former slave whose horrific whip scars on his back were captured in a very famous photograph. Producer Joey McFarland recently apologized after drawing some heat for bringing the photo to the movie’s L.A. premiere.
Emancipation is now streaming on Apple TV+. You can watch the official trailer below.
