Apple has secured the rights to the slave movie Emancipation starring Will Smith. The tech giant puts an amount of more than 105 million euros on the table, Deadline reports Wednesday.
Many large studios competed for the rights of the announced film during the virtual film market in Cannes. In the end, Apple knew the last remaining competitor Warner Bros. trumps, for an amount that represents a sales record for Cannes.
The action film, which will be produced by Antoine Fuqua, is set in the mid-nineteenth century in the United States and is based on the true story of the escaped slave Peter. The character portrayed by Smith joined the army after his flight to fight for the freedom of his people.
Peter’s story became known through photos of his bare back taken during a medical examination by the military. It clearly showed the scars caused by lashes on the plantation. The photos were published worldwide in 1863 and were evidence of the pitiful treatment of slaves in the southern US.
Production is expected to start next year. It is not yet known when the movie will hit theaters and can be seen on Apple TV.