Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is coming to Netflix tonight

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom stars Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman

“You all don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ll do.” Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is dropping tonight (Dec. 18) on Netflix.

You can watch the new Netflix movie at 12:01 a.m. PT on Friday, Dec. 18.

The Netflix movie is based on the 1982 August Wilson play of the same name, directed by George C. Wolfe and adapted by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The film, co-produced by Denzel Washington, stars Viola Davis as blues diva Ma Rainey, Chadwick Boseman (in his final screen role) as trumpeter Levee, Glynn Turman (Fargo) as pianist Toledo, Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) as trombonist Cutler, and Michael Potts (The Wire) as bassist Slow Drag.

The play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom tells the story of a motley crew of Black studio musicians and white producers who anxiously await the arrival of famed blues singer Ma Rainey to a recording session in 1920s Chicago. Their generational differences give way to tense interactions, as hopes clash with reality and racial prejudices come to define relationships for the foreseeable future.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom has already been met with plenty of acclaim, with Boseman already receiving a posthumous Gotham nod for Best Actor, and the movie is expected to be a big player for Netflix in the up-in-the-air 2021 awards season. Lovers of the play will be intrigued to see a number of scenes that apparently go outside of the recording studio setting, as alluded to in the trailer.

We’ll be reviewing the film on Friday, so be on the lookout later this week! According to Deadline, Washington has a deal with Netflix to produce at least nine other August Wilson plays into movies, something that is incredibly exciting at first glance – we’ll also fill you in on the details surrounding the deal as soon as news drops.

Will you be watching Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom when it comes to Netflix tonight? Let us know your thoughts on the anticipated movie in the comments!