THE COLOR PURPLE Movie Musical Shifts Release Date to Christmas Day

The movie musical film adaptation of Alice Walker's The Color Purple has shifted its release date! The film, previously set to come to cinemas on December 20, will now premiere on Christmas Day, December 25, according to Deadline.

Blitz Bazawule, the director behind Beyonce's Black Is King on Disney+ will direct the film, which is being produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones.

Fantasia Barrino will lead the cast of the film as Celie. Danielle Brooks will reprise her Tony-nominated performance as Sofia, which we played in the musical's 2016 revival. Taraji P. Henson is slated to play Shug Avery.

The star-studded film also includes Corey Hawkins as Harpo, H.E.R. as Squeak, Colman Domingo as Mister. Bailey and Ciara will share the role of Celie's beloved sister, Nettie, with Bailey playing the younger version of the character and Ciara playing the older version.

Oscar-nominee Aunjanue Ellis will play Celie and Nettie's mother, a new role for the film that was not included in the musical.

Elizabeth Marvel plays Miss Millie, another new role for the film, the unpleasant wife of the town's mayor who hires Sofia to be her maid.

GRAMMY-winner Jon Batiste will make his feature film acting debut in the film as Grady, a piano man and the husband of Shug Avery (Henson).

The cast is rounded out by Louis Gossett, Jr. will play the role of Ol' Mister, David Alan Grier is Reverend Avery, Tamela J. Mann will play First Lady, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi is Young Celie, Deon Cole is Alfonso, and Stephen Hill will play the role of Buster.

Most recently, Terrence J. Smith and Tiffany Elle Burgess were added to the cast to play Adam and Olivia, respectively. Aba Arthur has also joined the cast in an unspecified role.

After its 2005 Broadway debut featuring a Tony-winning performance from LaChanze as Celie, The Color Purple returned to Broadway in 2015 an acclaimed production from John Doyle.

The production went on to receive 2016 TONY AWARDS for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Cynthia Erivo). The musical also received Tony nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Danielle Brooks), and Best Direction of a Musical (John Doyle). The Color Purple also received the 2016 Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel and the Warner Bros. / Amblin Entertainment motion picture, The Color Purple is an unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity. With a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.