Netflix has unveiled the first images of their upcoming film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The film adaptation of August Wilson’s 1984 play stars Viola Davis as Ma Rainey, a southern Blues singer navigating the music industry. Alongside Davis, Chadwick Boseman will star in his final film as Levee, Rainey’s trumpeter who is hoping to launch a career of his own.
“He did a brilliant job, and he’s gone,” Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Producer Denzel Washington said.
“I still can’t believe it.”
The Mother of the Blues is coming to @Netflix in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, based on the play by August Wilson and directed by George C. Wolfe. Watch it December 18. @MaRaineyFilm https://t.co/QD0QzO5gFi pic.twitter.com/sMHd18ovbE
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) October 1, 2020
Boseman’s final film will be his second appearance on the streaming service. He appeared in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods prior to his untimely passing.
Boseman passed away in August after a four-year bout with cancer. In his final four years with us, Boseman appeared in films such as Marshall, 21 Bridges and of course, Black Panther. Beyond his films, the late actor has been memorialized in recent weeks with stories that speak to his generosity and grace. He was just 43 years old at the time of his transition.
Boseman’s final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, will debut on Netflix on December 18, 2020.
