King Richard

"Venus, Serena and a plan for greatness."

2021 2h 24m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 2,956

DramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story of how Richard Williams served as a coach to his daughters Venus and Serena, who will soon become two of the most legendary tennis players in history.

“Venus, Serena and a plan for greatness.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Will Smith
Richard Williams
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Oracene 'Brandy' Price
Saniyya Sidney
Venus Williams
Demi Singleton
Serena Williams
Jon Bernthal
Rick Macci
Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew
Tunde Price
Tony Goldwyn
Paul Cohen
Susie Abromeit
Robin Finn

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Writers: Zach Baylin
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 79% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, shot by Robert Elswit. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Kris Bowers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pamela Martin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Saniyya Sidney carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Venus, Serena and a plan for greatness.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Reinaldo Marcus Green directs. Robert Elswit behind the camera. Kris Bowers scores. Pamela Martin cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Earned back only 79% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 5 years ago.
4Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, shot by Robert Elswit. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Kris Bowers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Pamela Martin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Saniyya Sidney carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Venus, Serena and a plan for greatness.".
9IMDB entry: tt9620288 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "sports", "tennis", "tennis player", "father".

The technical file

Cinematography: Robert Elswit
Original score: Kris Bowers
Editing: Pamela Martin
Production design: William Arnold
Costume design: Sharen Davis
Makeup / hair: Jacenda Burkett
VFX supervisor: Brandon Nelson
Sound: Ron Bartlett
Runtime: 144 min · 2h 24m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $50,000,000
Box office: $39,400,000
Return: 79% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: King Richard (2021)

Awards

BET Award for Best Movie

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Reinaldo Marcus Green

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

pithawg2021-11-24
★ 9/10
As to the acting, it was great! The biopic was about the family and the inception of greatness. It took the word "humble" to a new level. As i see it, it is a exceptional performance by all the actors. Note: Very little of the film is about the mechanics of tennis but more about the struggle to envision a dream and chase it down. Will Smith (King Ricard) is ready for a nomination. Hats off to the girls (Singleton) and (Sidney) for strong performances. I hope the Real World Williams Family enjoyed the film. Thanks for all the hard work in and off the courts. Inspired by all.
Manuel São Bento2021-12-29
★ 9/10
FULL SPOILERF-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/king-richard-spoiler-free-review "King Richard is not only one of my favorite movies of the year, but it's also one of the best biopics I've ever witnessed. The subject matter may speak more to me than to the average moviegoer due to my emotional connection to the sport, but it's the captivating story about a dedicated, loving father that ultimately grabs the viewers. Will Smith delivers one of the best performances of his career, as do Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton. The sport is exceptionally explored, taking the audience through the immense sacrifice a player needs to go through to become one of the very best. Technically, all filmmaking elements work together perfectly to demonstrate the physical and mental effort that tennis requires, dedicating a surprising amount of screentime to practices and matches. Nevertheless, the thematically rich screenplay surrounding family, self-belief, and parenthood takes the spotlight. I don't have a single bad comment to make about Reinaldo Marcus Green's film. Deserves all of the awards buzz it's inevitably going to receive. Don't you dare miss it!" Rating: A
M_i_c_h_a_e_l2022-01-25
★ 6/10
King Richard feels a little too gentle with a favourable look at a key figure in the careers of two of the most significant tennis players the world has seen. The script starts off intending this to be a feel good story though it’s not without some dark moments. It’s immediately a folksy good hearted angle for Wiliams Snr. He’s determined yet kind hearted. It’s a favourable view, but calls critics of that can be told thatAfrican American people could be cut a little slack. There’s no doubting the spirit behind the film. Smith’s performance is as sincere as the character is. The rest of the cast as the family and coaching staff are just as good with their performances. It’s a feel good film to be sure, but the thing about feel good films is that they make you feel good.