The world is still coming to terms with the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, who passed away at the age of 43 last month after a private battle with colon cancer. The news came as such a shock since the actor kept his illness under wraps for years, which is made all the more surprising by the fact that he was still making movies almost right up until the end.
Indeed, he delivered a whole handful of phenomenal performances while battling the disease which he ultimately died from and the fact that he kept on going, even while dealing with all this, is just a testament to his unbelievable drive and determination. And though he may now be gone, there is still one final film of his that’s yet to release.
That’d be Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which is based on the play by August Wilson. Earlier tonight, the streaming giant brought us our first look at it via the photos below and in doing so, they also announced its premiere date, and thankfully, it’ll be here before the year’s out.
Yes, Chadwick Boseman‘s final movie is set to drop on Netflix on December 18th and tells the story of “a fateful recording session of “Mother of the Blues” Ma Rainey in 1927 Chicago.” Viola Davis plays the titular role, while the Black Panther star will show up to lend support as he steps into the shoes of “ambitious trumpeter Levee,” who’s eager to “stake his own claim on the music industry.”
Directed by George C. Wolfe, this one’s got awards season contender written all over it. And with the above photos now out in the wild, surely some footage can’t be too far behind. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if Netflix decided to drop the first trailer later this week. As always, watch this space for more.