Source: Warner Bros / Warner Bros.
Celebrity Buy Outs Are Big For ‘Just Mercy’
Today is the day! Following a limited release this Christmas, ‘Just Mercy’ opens nationwide today, Friday, January 10. The film, which is already getting critical acclaim and awards nominations, scored an A+ CinemaScore in addition to being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 99% Audience Score. “Just Mercy” has also won seven Audience Awards at film festivals across the country, including the Mill Valley, Chicago, Virginia, New Orleans, Twin Cities and Heartland Film Festivals.
People are inspired by the story of a true hero for our time, attorney Bryan Stevenson, is the real life superhero who took on powerful forces in Alabama to save the life of Walter McMillian an innocent Black man on death row. Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative and has dedicated his entire career to helping those who have been incarcerated unjustly, many because they lacked the resources to afford proper representation.
The movie has struck a special chord with social justice minded stars from the worlds of sports, acting, fashion and music, as well as sports teams, key faith leaders and churches, and multinational corporations, who have been motivated to buy out entire theatres and offer free admission, in hopes of making this powerful story accessible to as many people as possible. Some of those on the growing list of those doing theatre buyouts include:
o Kobe Bryant
o Kanye and Kim Kardashian West
o John Legend
o Common
o Lena Waithe
o Garrett Temple from the Brooklyn Nets
o Devin McCourty, New England Patriots Defensive Back #32
o Jason McCourty, New England Patriots Cornerback #30
o Microsoft
o Coach
o Facebook
o Goldhouse
o JPMorgan Chase
o Prudential Financial
o Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
o Eastdil Secured
o The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation & Third Point LLC
o The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
o Chris & Crystal Sacca
o Michael & Lydia Kives
o Sheryl Leach
o William McMorrow, Chairman and CEO of Kennedy Wilson
o just keep livin foundation
o Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
o Pastor Jamal Bryant and New Birth Church, Atlanta
o Dr. Irishea Hilliard and New Light Church, Houston
o Bishop Dale Bronner and Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, Atlanta
o Sports teams including:
â— From the NBA: Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings
â— From the NFL: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons
Pretty impressive list riiiiight? Are you planning to see ‘Just Mercy’ this weekend?
About “Just Mercy”:
Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” the “Creed” films, “Fruitvale Station”) and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx (“Ray,” “Baby Driver,” “Django: Unchained”) and Brie Larson (“Room,” “Short Term 12,” “Captain Marvel”) star in “Just Mercy.” Award-winning filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (“The Glass Castle,” “Short Term 12”) directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote, based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling memoir.
The main cast also includes Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Karan Kendrick. The film was produced by two-time Oscar nominee Gil Netter (“Life of Pi,” “The Blind Side”), Asher Goldstein (“Short Term 12”) and Michael B. Jordan. Bryan Stevenson, Mike Drake, Niija Kuykendall, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Scott Budnick, Jeff Skoll and Charles D. King served as executive producers. Cretton co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Lanham, based on Stevenson’s book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, which has spent more than 180 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers List and counting.
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