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Watch the First Trailer for 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'

Watch the First Trailer for 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'

From Town & Country

In August, fans were shocked by the news of Chadwick Boseman's death; and as is always the case with artists, the public mourned both for the man—a great one, by all accounts—and for the art he could never create. With his career cut short, it seems that Netflix's upcoming Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, an adaptation of the famed August Wilson play, will be Boseman's last film. Here's what we know about the movie.

Fans are finally getting a first look at the movie.

At long last, the first trailer has arrived. The preview (above)

Netflix has also released preview images of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which show Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, and more stars in character. Check them out below.

It's based on the August Wilson play of the same name.

The story follows the members of a band in 1920s Chicago as they await the arrival of the lead singer, Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), for a recording session. As the day unfolds, Ma fights with her white producers for control over her music, and ambitious trumpeter Levee (Boseman) lets his hot head get the best of him.

Denzel Washington produced the film, and George C. Wolfe directed it.

Wolfe (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) spoke about collaborating with Boseman, as Netflix announced it would postpone a virtual preview event for the film, originally scheduled for August 31. "Working with Chadwick on Ma Rainey was a glorious experience," Wolfe said. "Every day we all got to witness the ferocity of his talent and the gentleness of his heart. A truly blessed, loving, gifted and giving human being."

Washington's connection to Boseman's final film is particularly meaningful, as he once quietly paid for Boseman and some of his Howard University classmates to attend a summer acting program at Oxford. Washington called the late actor "a gentle soul and a brilliant artist" in a statement to People.

A premiere date has yet to be set.

Netflix hasn't announced when Ma Rainey's Black Bottom will debut. Per Variety, the streaming platform was planning to release the film sometime this year, but has yet to comment on whether Boseman's death will impact the date.

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