This Friday, Nov. 19, the Will Smith-led King Richard will premiere in theaters and day-and-date on HBO Max. The film, which already has a 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time of this writing), is said to be deeper than your regular sports biopic, exploring how legendary tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard (Smith) impacted their lives. This exclusive clip up above explores that, diving into the relationship between the Williams’ sisters’ parents.
In this exclusive clip from the film, we find Smith’s Richard Williams speaking with his wife, Oracene “Brandi” Williams (Aunjanue Ellis of If Beale Street Could Talk and Quantico fame). While most of the success of the Williams sisters has been attributed to the work of their father, Brandi asks a real question: “Are we a team?” It’s a rhetorical question, as she makes sure that her voice is heard in her daughters’ careers. To be honest, it’s dope to have a scene like this. Again, you’ve heard about Venus and Serena—and by extension their father—for their entire careers. It’s awesome to see that their mother was involved.
King Richard hits theaters and HBO Max on Nov. 19. Check out the exclusive clip up above, and get a full synopsis for the film below.
Based on the true story that will inspire the world, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “King Richard follows the journey 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. Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Bad Boys for Life”) stars as Richard, under the direction of Reinaldo Marcus Green (“Monsters and Men”).
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.
