Chadwick's last film set for OTT release

OTT streaming giant 'Netflix' announced that the period drama 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', an adaptation of August Wilson's award-winning play of the same name, is slated to be released on December 18, 2020. The film also marks the last cinematic appearance of 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in August 2020 following a private, four-year-long battle with colon cancer.

The film stars Viola Davis in the title role, with Dusan Brown, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts in key roles. Actor-producer Denzel Washington is backing the film with Todd Black and Dany Wolf. The streamer also dropped the firs-look pictures from the movie directed by George C Wolfe on its official 'Twitter' page.

"Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman star in 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', a new film based on August Wilson's award-winning play from director George C Wolfe and producer Denzel Washington. The film premieres on December 18," 'Netflix' said in a tweet.

The film follows Ma Rainey, a famous blues singer as she makes a record in a studio in 1927 Chicago, where tension boils over among her, her white agent and bandmates. Boseman played Ma's boyfriend Levee, an ambitious trumpeter who aspired to make his own mark in the music industry.

The story explores the issues of race, art, religion and the exploitation of black recording artistes at the hands of white producers.