Emancipation

Emancipation is a historical drama set during the American Civil War. It follows Peter, an enslaved man who escapes from captivity in a bid to reach his family and freedom. His flight becomes a test of endurance: hunted terrain, the ever-present threat of recapture and a long journey toward the Union lines lie between him and the people he loves. The film is inspired by a true story.

Antoine Fuqua directed, working from a screenplay by Bill Collage. It is the sixteenth of the nineteen films Fuqua has directed in chronological order, arriving between The Guilty and The Equalizer 3. Will Smith stars as Peter and also produced alongside Todd Black and Jon Mone, with a cast of fifty-six credited performers that includes Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor, Ronnie Gene Blevins and Aaron Moten.

Released in December 2022, the film runs 132 minutes and was produced in the United States by Escape Artists, Apple Studios, Westbrook Studios and McFarland Entertainment on a budget of about 120 million dollars. On IMDb it holds 6.3 out of 10 from roughly 31,000 votes; on TMDB it stands at 7.7 from about 1,300 votes. A critics' rating of 5.6 from 155 reviews is lower than what general audiences report.