King Richard Trivia | 43 facts about the new film

“King Richard” is a new film starring Will Smith. Smith is the frontrunner for the Best Actor Oscar at this year ceremony.

So let’s find out some trivia and facts about the new film.

1. King Richard is a 2021 American biographical drama film
2. The film is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
3. It is written by Zach Baylin
4. The film follows the life of Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams
5. It stars Will Smith in the title role
6. With Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, and Jon Bernthal, also starring
7. It had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021
8. It was theatrically released on November 19, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures
9. It was also released on the HBO Max streaming service on the same day
10. The film received positive reviews
11. With Smith’s performance garnering universal acclaim
12. The project was announced in March 2019, with Will Smith set to play Williams in the film, written by Zach Baylin
13. At the same time, Warner Bros. won the bidding war for the film
14. Reinaldo Marcus Green was brought on as director in June
15. In January 2020, Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney were cast to play Serena and Venus respectively, with Aunjanue Ellis cast as their mother Brandi Williams
16. Jon Bernthal also entered negotiations to play Rick Macci
17. In February 2020, Liev Schreiber and Susie Abromeit joined the cast
18. In March 2020, Dylan McDermott, Katrina Begin and Judith Chapman had joined the cast
19. The film features the original song “Be Alive” by Beyoncé
20. The song was released on November 12, 2021
21. Principal photography began in January 2020 in Los Angeles
22. According to the California Film Commission, the production spent $35.6 million in the state, with $7.5 million returned in tax credits
23. In March 2020, filming was halted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
24. In October 2020, Tony Goldwyn joined the cast, replacing Schreiber who dropped out due to a scheduling conflict as a result of the pandemic
25. Filming resumed later in the month
26. Will Smith reportedly received $40 million for his role
27. After production concluded, Smith reportedly gave his co-stars “a nice bonus” via checks, due to the decision to release the film in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously
28. This bonus was on top of the compensation already received from the studio
29. The film was chosen to close the AFI Fest on November 14, 2021
30. That same day, it closed the New Orleans Film Festival’s live screenings
31. By the end of its run, it will have also screened at film festivals in London, Chicago, Savannah, Miami, Indianapolis, Denver, Middleburg, Philadelphia, Sydney, Toruń, and Morelia
32. The film will also open the 25th American Black Film Festival (ABFF)
33. President and general manager Nicole Friday describing King Richard as “a film that is a touchstone of ABFF’s legacy of showcasing extraordinary Black talent and inspiring storytelling reflecting the brilliance of diversity in Hollywood”
34. In the United States and Canada, King Richard will be released alongside Ghostbusters: Afterlife
35. The film is projected to gross between $8 to 10 million from 3,250 theaters in its opening weekend
36. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 92% rating
37. Based on 161 reviews
38. With an average rating of 7.6/10
39. The website’s critical consensus reads, “King Richard transcends sport biopic formulas with refreshingly nuanced storytelling – and a towering performance from Will Smith in the title role”
40. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100
41. Based on 39 critics
42. Indicating “generally favorable reviews”
43. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A” on an A+ to F scale