The late Chadwick Boseman’s film final will be the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” You’d be a fool not to think that, at least on paper, this is will be a serious awards season contender.
As seen in the trailer below, director George C. Wolfe’s film is about a young trumpet player (Boseman) who is trying to revolutionize the blues music of singer extraordinaire Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). And yet, should he be trusted? Is he in it for his own gain? Those are the questions being asked here.
Despite the acting talent in front of the movie, Wolfe is a major question mark, he’s probably best known for “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” but, ok, fine, I’ll be frank, his filmography stinks. He also directed the horrendous “Nights in Rodanthe” (2008) and the equally unwatchable “You’re Not You” (2014). One only hopes that with better source material here, Wilson is a legendary playwright, Wolfe might fare a little better.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” will arrive in select theaters in November before arriving on the streaming platform on December 18. You can watch the new trailer below.