Will Smith is Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena, in the newly released trailer for Reinaldo Marcus Green’s upcoming biopic King Richard.
Joining Smith in the Zach Baylin-penned film is Aunjanue Ellis as Oracene “Brandi” Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton as Serena Williams, and Jon Bernthal as coach Rick Macci.
The anticipated drama arrives in theaters on Nov. 19, and will also be available on HBO Max for 31 days from the theatrical release. Catch the new trailer up top. Below, peep the official synopsis:
“This profoundly moving film shows the power of family, perseverance, and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible—and truly change the world. Based on the true story, King Richard follows the journey of Richard Williams (Will Smith), an undeterred father raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time—Venus and Serena Williams—who will alter the sport of tennis forever. Witness a father’s vision for his children’s future, his unconventional methods, and his love as he executes a brilliant plan to take his daughters from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage.”
Warner Bros. was revealed to have won what was reported to have been a “highly contested bidding war” for the biopic back in March 2019. The following year, a lawsuit centered on a disagreement regarding who could claim the rights to Richard Williams’ story was reported to have been settled.
Venus and Serena themselves are among the executive producers behind the film, which is seemingly Smith’s only feature-length fictional project this year. And as Venus explained during an interview on Kelly Clarkson’s daytime talk show earlier this year, King Richard tells the story of a “revolutionary” man and trailblazer.
“It’s really about my dad and how he literally changed the game and how this started,” Venus said during the January-aired chat. “He’s a revolutionary kind of person. I love him to death.”
