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King Richard (film)

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King Richard
"Theatrical release poster": A father embraces his two daughters. Underneath them is the tagline: "Venus, Serena and a plan for greatness".
Theatrical release poster
Directed byReinaldo Marcus Green
Written byZach Baylin
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRobert Elswit
Edited byPamela Martin
Music byKris Bowers
Production
companies
  • Westbrook Studios
  • Star Thrower Entertainment
  • Keepin' It Reel
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • September 2, 2021 (2021-09-02) (Telluride)
  • November 19, 2021 (2021-11-19) (United States)
Running time
145 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million[1]

King Richard is a 2021 American biographical drama film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, and follows the life of Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. It stars Will Smith in the title role, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, and Jon Bernthal.

It had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021, and was theatrically released on November 19, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures and on the HBO Max streaming service on the same day.[2] The film received positive reviews, with Smith's performance garnering universal acclaim.

Synopsis

Based on the true story that will inspire the world, King Richard follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons.

— Warner Bros. Pictures

Richard Williams is raising his two daughters, Venus and Serena, plus his three step-daughters in Hawthorne, California.

Venus Williams competes in ITF Junior Circuit before going pro in 1994 at the age of 14.[3] Her father expresses hesitation about her going pro--to the chagrin of her mother. Richard Williams, soon afterwards, changes his mind and signs up both his daughters Venus and Serena with coach Rick Macci.

The entire Williams family move to Florida once their teenage daughters go pro.

Venus Williams competes against Arantxa Sánchez Vicario from Spain in 1994. Nine months later, Venus Williams signs a contract with Reebok for $12 million (equivalent to $25,000,000 in 2023) at the age of 15.

Cast

Production

The project was announced in March 2019, with Will Smith set to play Williams in the film, written by Zach Baylin.[5] At the same time, Warner Bros. won the bidding war for the film.[6] Reinaldo Marcus Green was brought on as director in June.[7]

In January 2020, Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney were cast to play Serena and Venus respectively, with Aunjanue Ellis cast as their mother Brandi Williams.[8] Jon Bernthal also entered negotiations to play Rick Macci.[9] In February 2020, Liev Schreiber and Susie Abromeit joined the cast.[10][11] In March 2020, Dylan McDermott, Katrina Begin and Judith Chapman had joined the cast.[12][13] The film features the original song "Be Alive" by Beyoncé, released on November 12, 2021.[14]

Principal photography began in January 2020 in Los Angeles.[15] According to the California Film Commission, the production spent $35.6 million in the state, with $7.5 million returned in tax credits.[1] In March 2020, filming was halted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[16] In October 2020, Tony Goldwyn joined the cast, replacing Schreiber who dropped out due to a scheduling conflict as a result of the pandemic, before filming resumed later in the month.[17]

Will Smith reportedly received $40 million for his role. After production concluded, Smith reportedly gave his co-stars "a nice bonus" via checks, due to the decision to release the film in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously, on top of the compensation already received from the studio.[18]

Release

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021,[19] and was released on November 19, 2021, in theaters and on HBO Max.[2] It was previously scheduled to be released on November 25, 2020,[20] but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] The film was chosen to close the AFI Fest on November 14, 2021[22]; that same day, it closed the New Orleans Film Festival's live screenings. By the end of its run, it will have also screened at film festivals in London,[23] Chicago,[24] Savannah,[25] Miami,[26] Indianapolis,[27] Denver,[28] Middleburg,[29] Philadelphia,[30] Sydney,[31] Toruń,[32] and Morelia.[33] The film will also open the 25th American Black Film Festival (ABFF), with president and general manager Nicole Friday describing King Richard as "a film that is a touchstone of ABFF's legacy of showcasing extraordinary Black talent and inspiring storytelling reflecting the brilliance of diversity in Hollywood."[34]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, King Richard will be released alongside Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and is projected to gross $8–10 million from 3,250 theaters in its opening weekend.[35]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 161 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "King Richard transcends sport biopic formulas with refreshingly nuanced storytelling – and a towering performance from Will Smith in the title role."[36] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[37] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[38]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Chicago International Film Festival October 26, 2021 Audience Choice Award for Feature Film King Richard Won [39]
Film Fest 919 October 25, 2021 Audience Award Won [40]
Heartland International Film Festival October 18, 2021 Overall Audience Choice Award Won [41]
Pioneering Spirit Award Will Smith Won
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 17, 2021 Best Original Song in a Feature Film "Be Alive" (Beyoncé and Dixson) Pending [42]
Philadelphia Film Festival November 3, 2021 Narrative Audience Award King Richard Won [43]
SCAD Savannah Film Festival October 30, 2021 Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award Aunjanue Ellis Won [44]

References

  1. ^ a b "Film and Television Tax Credit Program 2.0 - Alphabetical Listing of Approved Projects" (PDF). California Film Commission: 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ a b Haselton, Todd (December 3, 2020). "Warner Bros. will launch every 2021 movie on HBO Max at the same time they hit theaters". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  3. ^ https://tennisuptodate.com/venus-williams
  4. ^ Thompson, Taheem (December 15, 2020). "Exclusive: Vaughn W. Hebron talks "The Oval", His Career & How His Experiences Shaped Him". The Knockturnal. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Hot Spec Du Jour: Will Smith As Venus & Serena's Tennis Coach Dad In 'King Richard'". March 4, 2019. Archived from the original on February 18, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "Warner Bros. Nears Deal for Will Smith's 'King Richard' Movie (EXCLUSIVE)". March 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  7. ^ "'King Richard': Will Smith's Drama About Williams Sisters' Father Is His First Pairing With a Black Director". June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  8. ^ n'Duka, Amanda (January 10, 2020). "'King Richard' Finds Its Young Venus & Serena, Adds Aunjanue Ellis To Will Smith-Starring Warner Bros. Pic". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  9. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 16, 2020). "Jon Bernthal To Play Venus & Serena Williams Coach Rick Macci In Warner Bros Drama 'King Richard'". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "Liev Schreiber Joins Will Smith in 'King Richard' (Exclusive)". February 27, 2020. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "Liev Schreiber And Susie Abromeit Join Will Smith For 'King Richard'". February 28, 2020. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  12. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (March 5, 2020). "Dylan McDermott Joins Will Smith in 'King Richard' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. ^ "WWE Superstar CJ Perry Joins Bruce Willis Sci-Fi Action Pic 'Cosmic Sin'; Will Smith's 'King Richard' Adds Katrina Begin". March 9, 2020. Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  14. ^ Whipp, Glenn (September 3, 2021). "Will Smith just stole the Telluride Film Festival. And he could bring Beyoncé to the Oscars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  15. ^ "King Richard". Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  16. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 15, 2020). "'Fantastic Beasts 3' & 'King Richard' Warner Bros. Productions Are Also On Hiatus: Coronavirus". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  17. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 14, 2020). "'King Richard': Tony Goldwyn Stepping In For Liev Schreiber In Will Smith Pic About Williams Sisters' Father". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  18. ^ Gardner, Chris (November 5, 2021). "Sources: Will Smith Shelled Out Bonuses to 'King Richard' Co-Stars". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  19. ^ "Telluride Film Festival: Will Smith's 'King Richard', Peter Dinklage Musical 'Cyrano', Joaquin Phoenix in 'C'mon C'mon', Ken Branagh's 'Belfast' Set to Premiere". September 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "Will Smith Pic 'King Richard' Sets Thanksgiving 2020 Release". June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  21. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 20, 2020). "'The Batman' Flies To Fall 2021, 'Sopranos' Prequel Moves To March & More As Warner Bros. Makes Release Date Changes Due To COVID-19 Climate". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  22. ^ "KING RICHARD FROM WARNER BROS. PICTURES CHOSEN TO CLOSE AFI FEST 2021". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  23. ^ "London Film Festival: Ten things to watch out for when this year's event starts next month". Sky News. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  24. ^ Jevens, Darel (September 20, 2021). "Chicago film festival to sneak-peek films starring Will Smith, Kristen Stewart, Matt Damon". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  25. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (October 1, 2021). "Costume Designer Sandy Powell to Receive Variety Honor at Savannah Film Fest". Variety. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  26. ^ Song, Katie (October 5, 2021). "Miami Film Festival GEMS to Open With Almodóvar's 'Parallel Mothers'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  27. ^ Bongiovanni, Domenica. "Heartland will show films with Oscar buzz, including Princess Diana film, new Wes Anderson". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  28. ^ "See the lineup for this year's Denver Film Fest, including "Spencer" on opening night". The Denver Post. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  29. ^ "Middleburg Film Festival to open with "King Richard", close with "Power of the Dog" - Blog - The Film Experience". thefilmexperience.net. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  30. ^ Staff, 6abc Digital (October 7, 2021). "30th Philadelphia Film Festival | Full line-up of movies". 6abc Philadelphia. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ Maddox, Garry (October 7, 2021). "Twenty movies to catch at the Sydney Film Festival". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  32. ^ Giardina, Carolyn; Giardina, Carolyn (October 26, 2021). "Camerimage: Competition Lineup Unveiled, Includes 'Dune,' 'Belfast,' 'Tragedy of Macbeth'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  33. ^ "[:es]El FICM da a conocer la programación de su 19ª edición[:]". FICM. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  34. ^ Yuma, Jennifer; Yuma, Jennifer (October 13, 2021). "Will Smith-Starrer 'King Richard' to Open American Black Film Festival; Memorial Set for Producer Mark Harris – Film News in Brief". Variety. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  35. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (November 17, 2021). "Box Office: 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' Targets $30 Million Debut, 'King Richard' to Serve Up $10 Million Start". Variety. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  36. ^ "King Richard". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 20, 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  37. ^ "King Richard Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  38. ^ "Find CinemaScore" (Type "King Richard" in the search box). CinemaScore. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  39. ^ "'King Richard' wins Chicago International Film Festival Audience Award". AwardsWatch. October 27, 2021. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  40. ^ "'King Richard,' 'C'mon C'mon' Tie for Film Fest 919 Audience Award". Chapelboro.com. October 29, 2021. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  41. ^ ""King Richard" Wins Overall Audience Choice Award; 30th Heartland International Film Festival Announces Audience Choice and IFJA Award Winners". heartlandfilm.prowly.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  42. ^ Tangcay, Jazz; Tangcay, Jazz (November 4, 2021). "Beyonce, Van Morrison, Hans Zimmer Receive Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations". Variety. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  43. ^ PhiladelphiaRowHomeMagazine (November 3, 2021). "KRIMES, PAPER & GLUE, and KING RICHARD Win Coveted Audience Awards at 30th Philadelphia Film Festival". Philadelphia RowHome Magazine. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  44. ^ Lifsey, Jennifer. "24th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival schedule, honorees announced". WTOC. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
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