Let’s be real for a second. Remaking a masterpiece is usually a recipe for disaster. When people heard about The Color Purple remake, the collective groan was almost audible across the internet. Why touch Steven Spielberg’s 1985 classic? Why mess with Whoopi Goldberg’s iconic performance or Oprah Winfrey’s "Sofia"? Honestly, it felt like Hollywood was just doing that thing where they recycle old gold because they're out of ideas. But then you sit down, the music starts, and you realize this isn't just a copy-paste job.
It’s an explosion.
Blitz Bazawule, the director who helped give us Beyoncé’s Black Is King, took Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and didn't just film it—he cracked it open. This 2023 version (which hit digital and streaming heavily in 2024 and beyond) is actually an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical. That distinction matters. It’s not a gritty, somber period piece that leaves you feeling heavy for three hours. It uses magic realism and massive, sweeping musical numbers to get inside the head of Celie, a woman who, for most of the story, isn't allowed to speak her mind.
The Internal World of Celie
The biggest challenge with any version of this story is Celie’s silence. In the book, we read her letters to God. In the 1985 film, we watch Whoopi’s expressive, aching face. In The Color Purple remake, we go inside her imagination.
Fantasia Barrino reprises her Broadway role as Celie, and she is nothing short of a powerhouse. You’ve got to understand the pressure she was under here. She’s stepping into a role that basically defined a generation of Black cinema. But Fantasia brings this raw, gospel-infused vulnerability that makes the character feel brand new. When she sings "I'm Here," it’s not just a song. It’s a declaration of existence that feels like a punch to the gut in the best way possible.
The film doesn't shy away from the trauma. Mister (played by a terrifying yet eventually pathetic Colman Domingo) is still a monster for much of the runtime. The abuse is there. The separation from Nettie is there. But the musical format allows for "joy as resistance."
Think about the "Push 214" sequence. It’s huge. It’s loud. It’s stylized. Some critics felt the transition from horrific domestic abuse to high-energy dance numbers was jarring. They aren't necessarily wrong. It is jarring. But that’s kinda the point of Alice Walker’s work, isn't it? The juxtaposition of the "purple" in the world—the beauty God puts there just to see if we notice—against the gray misery of Celie’s daily life.
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Shug Avery and the Shift in Perspective
Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery is a vibe. Total shift from Margaret Avery’s portrayal in the 80s. Taraji plays her with this weary, brassy glamour that hides a lot of pain.
What’s interesting about The Color Purple remake is how it handles the relationship between Celie and Shug. In the 1985 movie, their physical intimacy was mostly hinted at—a few kisses, some tender moments, but largely sanitized for a PG-13 audience in the mid-eighties. The 2023 film leans a bit further in, though some fans of the book still felt it could have gone deeper. It acknowledges their love as a primary catalyst for Celie’s awakening. Shug isn't just a singer who passes through; she’s the person who teaches Celie that she is worthy of desire.
And then there’s Danielle Brooks as Sofia.
Look, filling Oprah’s shoes is an impossible task. Oprah is Sofia. But Danielle Brooks—who also played the role on stage—didn't try to be Oprah. She brought a different kind of fire. Her "Hell No!" is a standout moment, but it’s the quiet, broken version of Sofia we see later that really shows Brooks’ range. She earned an Oscar nomination for a reason. She reminds us that the cost of being a "strong woman" in that era was often devastating.
Why This Version Actually Matters in 2026
You might be wondering why we're still talking about this movie now. It’s because The Color Purple remake represents a shift in how Black stories are told on a massive budget.
Produced by the "Big Three"—Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Quincy Jones—this was a massive swing. It cost around $100 million to make. For a musical drama led by an all-Black cast, that’s a significant investment. It didn't set the box office on fire the way Barbie did, but its life on streaming has been massive.
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The film corrects some of the "historical flattening" that happens in older period pieces. It feels more vibrant. The production design by Paul Denham Austerberry is lush. The Georgia swamp looks beautiful and haunting all at once. It’s a sensory experience that the 1985 version, for all its brilliance, just wasn't trying to be.
A Few Things That Didn't Quite Work
Let's be honest: no movie is perfect.
- The pacing in the second act gets a little wonky.
- Some of the CGI in the more "imaginative" sequences feels a bit polished compared to the grit of the story.
- If you hate musicals, this will not convert you. It is unapologetically a musical.
Some purists argue that the songs "soften" the impact of the story's darker themes. There’s a valid argument there. When you’re dancing to a catchy beat, the weight of the character’s suffering can sometimes feel diminished. However, others argue that the music is the only way Celie could express her internal liberation before she had the words to do it out loud.
The Colman Domingo Factor
We need to talk about Colman Domingo. Between this and Rustin, he’s become one of the most important actors of our time. His portrayal of Mister (Albert) is fascinating. In the original film, Danny Glover played him as a more straightforward villain. Domingo gives him these flickers of humanity that make him almost more terrifying because you see the man he could have been.
His redemption arc at the end of the film is handled with a bit more grace here. It doesn't excuse what he did, but it shows the cycle of brokenness that affected Men in that community too. It adds a layer of complexity to the family dynamic that makes the final reunion feel earned rather than just scripted.
Visual Storytelling and Magic Realism
Blitz Bazawule brought a specific West African sensibility to the American South. You see it in the dream sequences. There’s a scene involving a giant phonograph that is visually stunning. It breaks the "rules" of a standard biopic or drama.
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This is what The Color Purple remake gets right: it realizes that the "truth" of a story isn't always found in realism. Sometimes, the truth is found in how a moment feels. To Celie, hearing Shug Avery sing for the first time probably did feel like the world turning from black-and-white to technicolor. Using music and surreal visuals captures that internal shift perfectly.
Key Takeaways for Your Watchlist
If you haven't seen it yet, or if you're thinking about a rewatch, keep these things in mind.
- Watch the 1985 version first if you never have. It provides the foundation. But don't expect the remake to be the same.
- Pay attention to the costumes. Ellen Mirojnick did an incredible job using color palettes to show Celie’s growth. She starts in drab, muted tones and literally blooms as the movie progresses.
- Listen to the lyrics. The songs aren't just filler; they are the dialogue Celie isn't allowed to say. "She Be Mine," a song cut from the final theatrical release but available in extras, is a heartbreaking look at Celie’s lost children.
Moving Forward With The Story
The legacy of The Color Purple is massive. From Alice Walker's ink to Spielberg's film, to the Broadway stage, and now to this cinematic musical. Each version adds a new layer.
The remake isn't trying to replace the original. It’s an evolution. It’s a celebration of survival. In a world that often feels quite heavy, seeing a story about a woman who loses everything—her children, her sister, her dignity—and still finds the strength to say "I'm thankful for every mouthful of air" is pretty much exactly what we need.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Experience:
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Before you watch, or right after, listen to Fantasia’s "I'm Here" and the H.E.R. track "Keep It Movin'." The blend of traditional gospel, blues, and modern R&B is stellar.
- Read the Book: If you've only seen the movies, you're missing out on the epistolary genius of Alice Walker. The book is much more explicit and radical than any film version has been allowed to be.
- Check out 'The Making Of' Features: The behind-the-scenes footage of the choreography and the set builds in the Georgia marshlands is fascinating for any film buff.
The Color Purple remake stands as a testament to the fact that some stories are worth telling over and over again, as long as you find a new voice to tell them with. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s undeniably beautiful.