We have to wait a little longer before we can read Will Smith’s forthcoming memoir, simply titled Will, but at least we have the first trailer for his upcoming film King Richard.
The film sees Smith take on the role 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.”
Those two gifted athletes, of course, are Venus and Serena Williams who will be played by Saniyaa Sidney and Demi Singleton respectively.
According to the film’s logline, “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. The profoundly moving film shows the power of family, perseverance and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible and impact the world.”
Aunjanue Ellis also stars as the girls’ mother Oracene “Brandi” Williams while Tony Goldwyn appears as coach Paul Cohen and Jon Bernthal as coach Rick Macci. Andy Bean Kevin Dunn and Craig Tate round out the cast.
Venus and Serena Williams, along with sister Isha Price, serve as executive producers on King Richard which was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
The trailer gives us a glimpse into the hurdles the Williams’ family faced, despite the girls’ immeasurable talent, due to being a Black family from Compton. We see social services checking in on the family, with Smith, as Richard, defiantly saying, “I don’t mind you saying we’re hard on these kids because we are. That’s our job. Keep them off these streets. You wanna check on the kids? Let’s check on the kids. We got a future doctor, lawyers, plus a couple tennis stars in this house.”
Later, Richard tells his daughters that they will be representing “every little Black girl on Earth” before reminding them, “the most dangerous creature on this earth is a woman who know how to think.”
Preach!
King Richard will be in cinemas from November 18 2021, and you can check out the first trailer below.
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