How to Stream ‘The Color Purple’ Online

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Quick Answer: The Color Purple (2023) can currently be streamed online with a Max subscription and purchased on Amazon Prime Video.

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Stream 'The Color Purple' on Max

Music has always been a part of The Color Purple in every capacity, whether on the stage or on the screen. Now, that well-rounded and immersed music in the 2023 edition is available to watch on Max.

“A lot of musicals struggle from this problem: the music comes out of the sky, and when it comes out of the sky there isn’t a source for it,” Bazawule confesses to Rolling Stone. “Something that my whole team understood as very important was that we were going to create sounds that were diegetic and environmental.”

The new film is much more than a remake, immersing the audience in depths of emotional heartbreak and joy. “I honestly do not pay attention to any of it,” Bazawule admits regarding the film’s accolades. “The work we did, I believe, is sacred healing work and that’s the metric that I’m most interested in.” Sacred indeed, and worth the watch. Here’s where to stream the new The Color Purple online.

How to Watch The Color Purple (2023) Online

The easiest way to stream the new film is through Max, which means you’ll need an active subscription to watch online. A Max ad-free plan costs $15.99/month, while a subscription with ads will run you $9.99/month. Max is also host to other music-based films like The Five Heartbeats and Little Richard: I Am Everything for music lovers looking to tune in.

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You can also purchase the new The Color Purple on Amazon Prime Video for a discounted price of $19.99 rather than the regular $24.99. Amazon Prime subscribers can also get free access to HELL YESS! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and its characters. A Prime subscription includes a 30-day free trial and $14.99/month when the trial ends.

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How to Stream The Color Purple (2023) for Free

Get Max Free With DirecTV Stream: You can get Max free when you sign up for a DirecTV Stream subscription. Plans start at $79.99 a month and include a five-day free trial. The trial grants you access to all of DirecTV’s channels like ESPN, live news coverage, HGTV, and HBO. You can also get a Max add-on included for up to two months free. After that, your Max subscription will cost the standard $15.99/month for the ad-free package.

Get Max with DirecTV

Get Max With AT&TAT&T customers can also get Max free thanks to the company’s current promotion, which lets you watch Max for free with eligible Unlimited phone and internet plans. Check to see if your plan includes Max at att.com. If you’ve already signed up for one of the eligible plans, all you have to do is download the Max app to get free streaming!

Get Max with AT&T

Get Max Free With Cricket WirelessAnother way to get Max for free is with a Cricket Wireless plan, which starts at $60 a month. The package includes unlimited calls and high-speed data, and it comes with an ad-supported Max subscription. If you already have Cricket Wireless, download the app to start streaming!

Get Max with Cricket Wireless

How to Watch The Color Purple (1985) Online

The original 1985 The Color Purple is also available to stream online with an active Max subscription. At the lowest tier, for $9.99/month, you’ll be able to stream both movies with ads. Or you can upgrade to the Ultimate Ad-Free package for $19.99/month for 4K video streaming as well as 100 downloads for streaming on the go. Also, for a limited time, all Max packages come with B/R Sports for live coverage of the games you love.

Get Max Ad-Free for $19.99/month

The Color Purple: Runtime, Rating, Cast, Awards

The 2023 rendition of The Color Purple saw a slew of notable names, including Fantasia Barrion as Celie, Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks as Sofie, and Halle Bailey as Nettie Harris to name a few. Its two-and-a-half hours of vibrant colors and approach revitalized the film in a way not many could have anticipated but felt necessary to capture both the old and new of the film.

Currently the film has won several awards, including four African-American Film Critics Association awards, an Astra Film and Creative award, nine Black Reel Awards, and a host of nominations. Though it was nominated for a Best Musical award at the Golden Globes, the film was snubbed, losing to Poor Things. Rotten Tomatoes also gave the show an 82%, IMDb a 7/10, and Metacritic a 72%.

“Cinematic arts are a very young art and it’s very important that it is liberated and people are allowed to show up as themselves,” Bazawule says, “contributing their superpower that is their cultural background and choices.” The film was released back in October of 2023, but as it now hits streaming platforms, a much wider and new audience is getting a taste of this historical piece.

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