Netflix drops trailer for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman

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Netflix just dropped the first official trailer for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and it’s clear the last film Chadwick Boseman worked on will be epic.

Viola Davis stars as the iconic 1920s performer in the film based on the play by August Wilson. Directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Todd Black and Denzel Washington, the stunning flick features an all-star cast that includes Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige, and Dusan Brown.

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Here’s the official synopsis:

Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) — who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry — spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives.

Adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM celebrates the transformative power of the blues and the artists who refuse to let society’s prejudices dictate their worth. Directed by George C. Wolfe and adapted for the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, the film is produced by Fences Oscar® nominees Denzel Washington and Todd Black. Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige and Dusan Brown co-star alongside Grammy® winner Branford Marsalis’ score.

Prepare to see Davis like never before in a role that required the award-winning actress to showcase her vocal chops and truly transform herself in every way. It’s also likely fans will bawl their eyes out as they watch Boseman grace the big screen for the last time.

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Check out the trailer:

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom hits Netflix on Dec. 18 and will debut in select theaters in November.

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