“We’ve been asking him for several years”: Steven Spielberg Had to Be Convinced to Permit Making a Remake of His One Movie That Won 11 Oscar Nominations

Steven Spielberg’s 1985 classic that took home 11 Oscar nominations is by no means a feat of mere auteurist filmmaking but one showing exceptional skill and brilliance. Behind the camera, there is none other than Spielberg, even though his inspiration might often come from borrowed sources. As such, the adaptation of Alice Walkerʼs Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel, The Color Purple, couldnʼt have been in better hands than the surgically gifted ones of the venerated director.

38 years later, Oprah Winfrey, the star of Spielbergʼs 1985 film took it upon herself to pass on the tradition of transforming the tragic tale of Alice Walkerʼs novel into a work of art for the screen. After much deliberation and struggle, the musical drama produced by Spielberg and Oprah made it onto the screens in 2023 to widespread acclaim. However, the story behind its production is an award-worthy tale in itself.

The Color Purple Travels From the 1980s to the 21st Century

It was merely 3 years after the novelʼs publication when Steven Spielberg decided to adapt The Color Purple into a multiple award-winning film. However, the same was not the case with Oprah Winfreyʼs stage adaptation. Contrary to what was expected, the struggle behind adapting the visionary musical for the screen was long and weary, unlike Spielbergʼs own journey with the novel.

The reason behind the delay is a surprising tale of proprietorship over the IP which Spielberg had as little right over as Oprah Winfrey did, considering how an author is the only one who can dictate such claims over their work. However, the respect that Spielberg holds in this industry and his execution of the first live-action adaptation of The Color Purple made him the one whose blessing was considered crucial before adapting the literary classic into a musical.

Starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, and Whoopi Goldberg (among others), The Color Purple was directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones.

Oprah Winfrey Sought Out Steven Spielbergʼs Blessing

Opening to hooting praise and thundering applause, Oprah Winfreyʼs musical adaptation of The Color Purple left many in the audience stunned and teary-eyed. However, before basking in the warmth of such adulation, Winfrey had to tread a difficult path before getting her work green-lit by Warner Bros.

Primarily, Winfreyʼs film is loosely inspired by the 2005 Broadway production of The Color Purple, which in turn is a direct adaptation of Steven Spielbergʼs 1985 film. As such, it was essential that Oprah Winfrey seek out Spielbergʼs blessing before picking up the project. Speaking to the crowd on the opening night of her feature at the David Geffen Academy Museum Theater, she said [via Deadline]:

This film couldn’t have happened without the original, and couldn’t have happened without Steven Spielberg allowing it to happen.

However, before actually “allowing it to happen,” Spielberg on his part pondered over the necessity of yet another adaptation of the same story and whether it was relevant in our time. Oprah claimed:

I had to call Steven – Scott [Sanders] said ‘You call him’ – I called Steven and asked for permission. We’ve been asking him for several years. Steven wasn’t sure, then he said yes in 2018.

Steven Spielberg then went on to reveal:

What made me say ‘yes’ was your production of The Color Purple musical on Broadway, which I thought was extraordinary. I didn’t really know if Color Purple had another movie in it.

You and the songwriters, and that cast proved that there was another iteration that could actually stand on its own. My version being its context, but not defining it. This was relevant for our time for now for audiences today, and I entrusted Scott [Sanders] and Oprah.

The Color Purple, which premiered on Christmas Day of 2023, became a critical hit, holding an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but failed to be commercially successful, earning a mere $67.5 million at the box office against a budget of $90-100 million.

On the other hand, Danielle Brooks went on to receive nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Sofia – the role that Oprah Winfrey originally held in Steven Spielbergʼs 1985 film.

The Color Purple is available for renting/buying on Prime Video and Apple TV.