The Color Purple 2023 Film: Musical, Cast, and How to Watch

Few movie releases in 2023 arrived with as much built-in anticipation as The Color Purple. Alice Walker’s 1982 novel has been reimagined as a full musical film, directed by Blitz Bazawule and released in theaters on December 25, 2023. By mid-February 2024, the film was already streaming on Max, and many viewers are still sorting out how this version differs from the 1985 Spielberg film and the Broadway musical.

Release Date: December 25, 2023 (Warner Bros.) ·
Director: Blitz Bazawule (Hulu) ·
Runtime: 141 minutes (Apple TV) ·
Budget: $90–100 million · Box Office: ~$67 million ·
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% critic / 95% audience (Rotten Tomatoes)

Six specs, one pattern: the credits mix the 1985 film’s producing alumni with a new creative team.

Is The Color Purple a Play or Musical?

The 2023 film is a musical, and the key to understanding it is that it builds on the 2005 Broadway show rather than the 1985 movie. Rotten Tomatoes — review aggregator describes the film as based on the story associated with Alice Walker’s novel and incorporating elements of the stage musical.

What is the difference between the 2023 film and the Broadway musical?

• The Broadway musical is a live stage show; the film uses cinematic locations, camera movement, and close-ups.
• The songs carry the emotional weight in both, but film editing lets the audience move inside Celie’s imagination in ways theater can’t easily stage.
• The 2023 film runs 141 minutes — a feature-length cut rather than a stage show with an intermission.

Why was the 2023 adaptation made as a musical?

The momentum came from the stage. After the Broadway musical became a Tony-winning production, producers who had been part of the 1985 film’s orbit saw a chance to bring that energy to theaters.

The trade-off: a musical can make harsh material more accessible, but it also moves the story closer to spectacle — a choice that divides some loyalists of the 1985 film.

When Did the First Color Purple Movie Come Out?

The first film adaptation arrived in 1985, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Whoopi Goldberg. The 2023 movie is not a remake of it; it is a separate adaptation with many of the same producers — Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones — attached. Mashable — pop-culture report confirms that the new film is distinct from Spielberg’s 1985 version even though both productions share producers.

What year was the original film released?

• 1985 — the original film was released.
• It starred Whoopi Goldberg as Celie.
• The 2023 version is a different adaptation, not a shot-for-shot update.

Who directed the 1985 film?

• Steven Spielberg directed the 1985 film.
• Blitz Bazawule directed the 2023 film; Spielberg stayed on as a producer rather than returning to the director’s chair.

The catch: calling the 2023 film a “remake” misses what changed — a director’s vision, a musical format, and a different cultural moment.

How to Watch the New Color Purple Movie?

The film is now on Max, the Warner Bros. streaming service formerly known as HBO Max. Entertainment Tonight — news report confirmed that Max added The Color Purple on February 16, 2024, after its theatrical window ended.

Where is The Color Purple 2023 streaming?

• Max — added February 16, 2024.
• Streaming guide JustWatch lists Max as the subscription streaming home in the U.S.

Is it available on Netflix or HBO Max?

• Netflix does not carry the film; Max is the streaming home.
• HBO Max rebranded as Max in 2023, so the “HBO Max” question points to the same service.

Can I rent or buy it online?

• Yes — the film is available for digital purchase or rental through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and other major stores, per JustWatch — streaming guide.
• The digital version is the same 2023 theatrical cut.

Step by step: How to stream or buy The Color Purple

1. Open Max and search for “The Color Purple.”
2. Select the 2023 film — not the 1985 version.
3. Hit play; the runtime is 141 minutes.
4. If you want to own it, go to Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video and choose buy.

The implication: the film’s move to Max removed the last barrier — U.S. viewers with a subscription can watch tonight, no theater trip required.

What is the Famous Line in The Color Purple?

The story’s most quoted line belongs to Shug Avery: “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.” It frames the whole theme of the book — that joy and attention are spiritual practices.

What does Celie say to Albert when she leaves?

• “I’m poor, I’m black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here!” — Celie’s parting words to Albert.

What is Celie’s famous catchphrase?

• The line people usually mean is Shug’s “color purple” speech, though it is Shug speaking, not Celie.
• Celie’s own declaration is the one she makes when she finally stands up for herself.

What are other memorable quotes?

• “You told me to hold on, but I found out I’m holding on to nothing.” — Celie’s line about letting go.
• “I’m poor, I’m black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here!” — the line Celie uses to reclaim her presence.

The pattern: each famous line is a declaration of self-worth — that’s why the story keeps finding new audiences.

Is Celie Queer in The Color Purple?

Yes — Celie’s bond with Shug Avery is romantic, and in Alice Walker’s novel it becomes physical. The story has been celebrated for decades as a Black queer narrative, and the 2023 musical film keeps that relationship central. When Shug kisses Celie, it is a turning point: Celie learns she deserves tenderness.

Why does Shug Avery kiss Celie?

• In the story, the kiss happens after Shug teaches Celie to see herself as worthy of love.
• It pushes Celie’s self-discovery forward and sets up her eventual break from Albert.

What is the nature of Celie and Shug’s relationship?

• The novel describes physical desire between Celie and Shug.
• The 2023 film keeps the romance but lets the songs carry the intimacy.

What this means: the 2023 film continues a bold legacy — a mainstream studio musical with a Black queer love story at its center.

The Color Purple: A Timeline From Novel to 2023 Film

• 1982 — Alice Walker publishes the novel (Wikipedia — novel page).
• 1985 — Steven Spielberg directs the first film adaptation, starring Whoopi Goldberg (Wikipedia — 1985 film page).
• 2005 — The Broadway musical adaptation premieres.
• 2023 — Blitz Bazawule’s musical film opens December 25.
• 2024 — The film is added to Max on February 16.

Those milestones are cross-checked against the film’s Wikipedia — film page, Mashable’s comparison of the two adaptations, and Entertainment Tonight’s streaming report. The pattern: each version widened the story’s audience — and the 2023 musical completes the shift from intimate drama to full-scale celebration.

What’s Confirmed vs. What’s Still Unclear

Separating what’s verified from what’s still open makes the rest of the guide easier to trust. Each confirmed item below is sourced in the table and snapshot above.

• The 2023 film is a musical drama directed by Blitz Bazawule.
• It opened in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2023.
• It became available on Max on February 16, 2024.
• The cast includes Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, and Taraji P. Henson.

• Budget and box-office figures are estimates, not official studio accounting.
• Future awards outcomes were not known as of early 2024.
• Some cast listings differ slightly between databases, so confirm details against the Apple TV listing.
• Which digital services carry the film outside the U.S. varies by region.
• The London premiere date (November 20, 2023) comes from a community-edited source and hasn’t been widely repeated in studio materials.

The bottom line: most of what you need to decide is confirmed; budget and awards chatter are the noisy parts.

The Lines That Stay With You

Two voices carry the story’s emotional center. These are the lines that keep circulating in discussions of The Color Purple.

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.”

Shug Avery, in the novel and the adaptations

“I’m poor, I’m black, I may even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here!”

Celie, in the story by Alice Walker

“You told me to hold on, but I found out I’m holding on to nothing.”

Celie, in the story’s final confrontation

All three come from Alice Walker’s novel and have been carried through the film and stage adaptations.

The Takeaway

The 2023 The Color Purple is not a shot-for-shot remake. It’s a musical adaptation of the stage show, directed by Blitz Bazawule and anchored by Fantasia Barrino’s performance as Celie. The way to enjoy it is to accept that difference: this version wants to sing, not just endure.

For fans of the 1985 film, the choice is clear: go in expecting a musical with cinematic scale from Fantasia Barrino, or you will spend the whole run time comparing it to a movie it is not trying to be.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Seabiscuit Movie: True Story, Cast & Where to Stream
• Watch Ghost 1990: Where to Stream, Cast Trivia & More