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Multihyphenate Will Smith has had a long and successful career in film. And while some fans were disappointed to see he won't be reprising his role as Deadshot in The Suicide Squad, he'll be back in theaters before we know it. Cue King Richard, which sees Smith play Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard Williams. The first trailer just arrived, and it looks like a tear-jerker.
As seen in the video above, Will Smith will once again be stepping into the biopic sub-genre with King Richard. But rather than portraying an athlete like he did with Ali, instead he'll be portraying a pair of athlete's father and coach. The movie will seemingly follow Richard Williams for years, as he raises Venus and Serena into the groundbreaking tennis superstars they are today.
While being careful not to spoil all the points of the movie, the first trailer for King Richard certainly seems to tease the emotionality of the upcoming project. As Will Smith's title character says, Venus and Serena would eventually rock the world with their talents-- becoming icons in the process. And now the public will be privy to a film adaptation depicting the struggles and hard work that came before this level of fame was achieved.
King Richard is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, whose previous credits include Monsters and Men and the new Mark Wahlberg drama Joe Bell. Clearly the filmmaker is used to working with very emotional movies, especially revolving around the unique dynamic between father and children. And it looks like Will Smith will once again have moviegoers in tears for his next big movie role.
In addition to theaters, King Richard will be released for a limited time on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Of course, Will Smith isn't alone in helping to bring King Richard to life on the big screen. He's playing opposite Lovecraft Country actress Aunjanue L. Ellis, while Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton will play Venus and Serena Williams respectively. The cast is also rounded out by The Punisher star Jon Bernthal, Dylan McDermott, and Tony Goldwyn.
The timing of this trailer drop is seemingly strategic, as the entire world focuses on sports at once due to the ongoing Olympic Games. And considering how bankable Will Smith is, smart money says anticipation for King Richard will continue rising for the time being. We'll just have to wait and see if/how Venus and Serena react to this footage, and the project as a whole.
King Richard is expected to hit theaters on November 19th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
