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'King Richard' set to premiere on HBO GO

By InCinemas / 11 Mar 2022 (Friday)

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes King Richard, an inspiring biographical film about Richard William, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted tennis athletes of all time. The film premieres Thursday, March 17 first on HBO GO.

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men), King Richard earned a ‘Best Actor’ Oscars nod for leading man Will Smith (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness, Bad Boys for Life) and a first ‘Best Supporting Actress’ Academy nomination for Aunjanue Ellis. Producers Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith are in the running for the ‘Best Picture’ prize. The screenplay by Zach Baylin is nominated for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ while Pamela Martin (The Fighter) is nominated in the ‘Best Film Editing’ category. The film’s theme song ‘Be Alive’ featuring lyrics and music by DIXSON and Beyoncé, scored a ‘Best Original Song’ nomination.

Will Smith also won recently his first Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for “Best Male Actor in a Leading Role” for his outstanding performance as Richard William.

Based on the true story that will inspire the world, King Richard follows the uplifting journey of a family whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately delivers two of the world’s greatest sports legends: Venus and Serena Williams.

Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams (Smith) is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on Compton, California’s abandoned tennis courts - rain or shine - the girls are shaped by their father’s unyielding commitment and their mother’s balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them.

Aunjanue Ellis (If Beale Street Could Talk, Quantico) plays the girls’ mother Oracene “Brandy” Williams, Saniyya Sidney (Hidden Figures, Fences) stars as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton (Godfather of Harlem) as Serena Williams, with Tony Goldwyn (the Divergent series, Scandal) as coach Paul Cohen and Jon Bernthal (the upcoming The Many Saints of Newark, Ford v Ferrari) as coach Rick Macci. The ensemble also includes Andy Bean (IT Chapter Two), Kevin Dunn (theTransformers films, HBO’s Veep) and Craig Tate (Greyhound).

Isha Price, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, Adam Merims, Lynn Harris, Allan Mandelbaum, Jon Mone and Peter Dodd were executive producers. The behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-winning director of photography Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood); production designers Wynn Thomas (Da 5 Bloods,Hidden Figures) and William Arnold (The Hate U Give); and two-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Sharen Davis (Dreamgirls, Ray). Music is by Oscar-nominated composer Kris Bowers (Space Jam: A New Legacy, A Concerto is a Conversation).

Stream or download King Richard from March 17 first on HBO GO.

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'King Richard' set to premiere on HBO GO