Critically Acclaimed Film "Marshall" Returns to Theaters Nationwide

ON THE HEELS OF RECEIVING EIGHT NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINATIONS AND A GRAMMY NOMINATION, OPEN ROAD FILMS/ GLOBAL ROAD ENTERTAINMENT WILL BRING CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILM MARSHALL BACK TO THEATERS NATIONWIDE

Los Angeles, CA  November 29, 2017 – Open Road Films/Global Road Entertainment will bring MARSHALL, the critically acclaimed film starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Sterling K. Brown, Dan Stevens, Keesha Sharp and James Cromwell back to theaters nationwide beginning this Friday, December 1, 2017.   

Members of AMPAS, PGA, WGA, DGA and SAG Nominating Committee will be admitted with a guest to select showings with valid membership card**.

Featuring the Grammy®-nominated original song, “STAND UP FOR SOMETHING” – with music by Diane Warren, lyrics by Diane Warren and Common and performed by Andra Day, featuring Common – MARSHALL is nominated for eight NAACP IMAGE AWARDS including Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture – Chadwick Boseman, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Sterling K. Brown, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Keesha Sharp , Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture – Reginald Hudlin, Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration – Andra Day featuring Common, “Stand Up For Something,” Outstanding Female Artist – Andra Day, “Stand Up For Something,” and Entertainer of the Year, Chadwick Boseman.

This Sunday, December 3rd, CNN’s Van Jones will present MARSHALL director and producer Reginald Hudlin with the ACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BILL OF RIGHTS AWARD.  MARSHALL won the 2017 CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AUDIENCE AWARD and the original song, “STAND UP FOR SOMETHING,” received the Hollywood Song Award from the Hollywood Film Awards earlier this year.

MARSHALL is based on an early trial in the career of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.  It follows the young lawyer (Chadwick Boseman) to conservative Connecticut to defend a black chauffeur (Sterling K. Brown) charged with sexual assault and attempted murder of his white socialite employer (Kate Hudson). Muzzled by a segregationist court, Marshall partners with a courageous young Jewish lawyer, Samuel Friedman (Josh Gad). Together they mount the defense in an environment of racism and Anti-Semitism.  The high profile case and the partnership with Friedman served as a template for Marshall’s creation of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.  

MARSHALL is directed by Reginald Hudlin. The script is written by Michael Koskoff and Jacob Koskoff.  Producers are Paula Wagner, Hudlin, and Jonathan Sanger. Director of photography is Newton Thomas Sigel (The Conspirator, Drive). Production designer is Richard Hoover (42, Dead Man Walking). Editor is Tom McArdle (Spotlight, The Visitor). Costume designer is Ruth E. Carter (Selma, Lee Daniels' The Butler).

**Individual theater policies may vary with regard to guild card ticket comps.  

Marshall Review

Chadwick Boseman stars in the Thurgood Marshall biopic, Marshall, following one of Marshall's early cases before the famous Brown v. Education case and becoming the first African-American United States Supreme Court Justice. Marshall (Boseman) is the only attorney for the NAACP, and he travels the country defending those who are innocent and facing unfair treatment due to the color of their skin. Here, the defendant is chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown) who is accused of raping and attempting to murder Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson). Because Marshall is not licensed in the state where the case is taking place, he must enlist the reluctant help of Sam Friedman (Josh Gad) who is a local, Jewish insurance defense attorney.

While a good amount of the film takes place in the courtroom, the film manages not to be courtroom heavy or dense. This is thanks in large part to the film also spending some time revealing parts of Marshall's personal life to the audience. Keesha Sharp plays his wife, Vivien "Buster" Burey, and the film shares scenes of the couple together, as well as a shared tragedy. What I especially liked about the film, probably because of my love of the Harlem Renaissance, was the inclusion of Langston Hughes (Jussie Smollett) and Zora Neale Hurston (Chilli) briefly in the film. The historical nuggets and references were embedded just enough to excite a history buff like myself, without losing the rest of the audience or distracting from the focal point of the film, the case. The film also spent some time following the personal life of Sam Friedman and his family, who endured antisemitism and family in Europe living through the Holocaust.

What I enjoyed most about the film was the confidence and style with which Boseman carries Marshall on the screen. Coupled with the set design and costuming, the audience is truly transported to that time period. He was the best of the best in the courtroom, and he knew it and carried that same confidence even outside the courtroom. He was a 3-dimensional character, not just a lawyer arguing at a trial. Additionally, while he was not allowed to speak during the trial, it was clear throughout the film that he was running the show and the most capable to do so (no made up White savior scenes like the restroom sign scene in Hidden Figures).

The acting, especially from Boseman, Gad, and Brown, was excellent! The story and the execution of it was great, as well. I appreciated the moments of levity immersed throughout the film, which of course dealt with some serious issues (racism, antisemitism, social injustice, unfair criminal justice system). Even beyond the comedic moments, the story managed to portray serious subject matters without becoming a film that leaves you distraught or angry. This is thanks in large part to the film focusing on Marshall being an unstoppable change agent, as opposed to a film about what the world was doing to him and African-Americans. The film was about what Marshall was determined to do about it, allowing it to leave the audience more focused on what Marshall has inspired in them to be a change agent in today's society. This is amplified in the final scene when Marshall arrives in the next city he will be trying a case in and is picked up by characters played by Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, and their attorney.

As we all know, there is still great injustices in the United States today, and Marshall serves as both inspiration and a reminder to stand up for justice!

10/10

Nationwide Educational Program for Marshall Film

OPEN ROAD FILMS AND BAZANED PARTNER WITH PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS TO HOST NATIONWIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AROUND ‘MARSHALL’

Program Features Pre-Release Screenings of the Upcoming Film on October 2, the 50th Anniversary of Thurgood Marshall’s Historic Swearing In as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice

New York, NY, September 22, 2017 – Open Road Films and BazanED today announced a nationwide student initiative surrounding the October 13, 2017 release of the new motion picture Marshall, which tells the story of a pivotal case in U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall’s early law career.  

  

The national education program includes pre-release screenings of Marshall for 11^th and 12^th graders in seventeen (17) U.S. cities to take place on October 2, which marks the 50th anniversary of the day Thurgood Marshall was sworn into the U.S. Supreme Court as its first African American associate justice. Select screenings will be followed by a moderated post-screening discussion with historians, judges, attorneys and more. Open Road Films is also providing bus transportation to all participating schools in need.  The student outreach program is accompanied by educational curricula developed by BazanED and available to the education community at BazanED.com. The company has also developed curricula for lower-grade students to encourage school districts across the country to honor Marshall by teaching about his life, times and accomplishments on October 2nd.  

“Marshall is a riveting piece of entertainment, but it also tells the story of a vitally important and hugely influential American with whom all students should be familiar,” said Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg. “We are thrilled to present the film to high schoolers for reflection and discussion, and work with BazanED, which brings its expertly crafted teaching materials to classrooms everywhere in conjunction with the film.”

“Thurgood Marshall is a real-life superhero, and this movie is a great way for kids to be introduced to a great American without feeling lectured to,” say Marshall Director Reginald Hudlin. “The movie is fun and exciting, but, both kids and adults learn a lot while having a good time, which is what education should be.”

The program’s special screenings will take place in African-American museums and other prominent educational and cultural institutions, as well as commercial theaters. Screenings have been scheduled in New York, Compton, Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Palm Beach, Pittsburgh, San Francisco/Oakland, Denver, Kansas City, New Orleans, Washington, DC, and Ft. Lauderdale. Full information and updated locations can be found at BazanEvents.com.

The Compton screening, organized in partnership with Urban Entertainment Institute, will take place at the Compton High School Auditorium and will be followed by a Q&A with director Reginald Hudlin and stars Chadwick Boseman and Josh Gad. Students from other area schools will be invited to attend and the discussion will be streamed live to schools throughout the country so students can watch and ask questions of the panelists in real time. 

Several African American museums in major U.S. cities have joined the effort to educate students about Justice Thurgood Marshall.  In Marshall’s hometown of Baltimore, the film will be shown to students at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum followed by a discussion. The Washington, D.C. event will be hosted by Howard University, the alma mater of Thurgood Marshall, who studied at its law school, as well as the film’s star, Chadwick Boseman, who studied at its theater department. Marshall will also screen at Detroit’s Charles Wright Museum and Chicago’s DuSable Museum.

Yanick Rice Lamb, Associate Professor and Chair, Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications, Department of Media, Journalism and Film said, “Howard has deep connections to both the subject and the star of this film, and places special emphasis on producing and supporting the work of black leaders across a wide array of professions. There could not be a more appropriate milieu for high school students to see and discuss a film made by an extremely talented filmmaker, starring an exciting up-and-coming actor, about a trailblazing U.S. Supreme Court Justice, who also happens to also be one of Howard’s most illustrious law graduates. We are naturally honored and excited to be a part of this program.”

Educational curricula about Thurgood Marshall that meet Common Core, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and NCSS state standards will be available at BazanED.com. BazanED has previously launched successful educational initiatives in conjunction with the 2014 Academy Award^®-winning film Selma, the 2017 Academy Award^® nominated I Am Not Your Negro, 2016’s DGA and NAACP Image Award-nominated The Birth of a Nation, the Jesse Owens biopic Race and Davis Guggenheim’s feature-length documentary film Teach, among others.

About Marshall

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell, director Reginald Hudlin’s MARSHALL, based on the early career of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, follows the young lawyer (Chadwick Boseman) to conservative Connecticut to defend a black chauffeur (Sterling K. Brown) against his wealthy white socialite employer (Kate Hudson) in a sexual assault and attempted murder trial. In need of a high-profile victory but muzzled by a segregationist court, Marshall is partnered with young Jewish lawyer Samuel Friedman (Josh Gad) who has never tried a case. They struggle against a hostile storm of fear and prejudice, driven to discover the truth in a sensationalized trial that helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.

Open Road Films presents

Starlight Media presents

A Hero Film Chestnut Ridge Hudlin Entertainment Production

Chadwick Boseman      Josh Gad      Kate Hudson

Sterling K. Brown      Dan Stevens      James Cromwell

 Directed by Reginald Hudlin

Written by Michael Koskoff & Jacob Koskoff

Produced by Paula Wagner, p.g.a.,  Jonathan Sanger, p.g.a.,  Reginald Hudlin, p.g.a.

Executive Produced by Lei Luo, Xu Yan, Chris Bongirne, Hunter Ryan, David Ryan,Tom Ortenberg, John Capetta, Kevin Lamb, Lai Pan, Lili Sun

OFFICIAL FILM SITE: http://MarshallMovie.com

OFFICIAL FACEBOOK: http://Facebook.com/MarshallMovie

OFFICIAL TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/MarshallMovie

OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM: http://Instagram.com/MarshallMovie

OFFICIAL YOUTUBE: http://YouTube.com/OpenRoadFilms

 

About BazanED

BazanED is a free teacher resource offering free materials for narrative films, documentaries, curriculum guides and so much more to K-12 and college educators throughout the U.S. BazanED partners with entertainment, cultural, scientific and financial organizations to provide teachers with engaging, grade-appropriate content to supplement and support classroom instruction and enhance student learning.

MARSHALL - Official Trailer - In Theaters October 13

ANDRA DAY RELEASES “STAND UP FOR SOMETHING” FEATURING COMMON ON MARSHALL OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM

ANDRA DAY RELEASES “STAND UP FOR SOMETHING” FEATURING COMMON ON MARSHALL OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM

FILM OPENS IN THEATERS OCTOBER 13

ORIGINAL SONG WRITTEN BY THE LEGENDARY DIANE WARREN

August 25^th, 2017 — (Burbank, CA) — GRAMMY® Award-nominated platinum soul powerhouse Andra Dayreleases the moving anthem “Stand Up For Something” [feat. Common] from the forthcoming soundtrack album for Marshall.

The full soundtrack album for Marshall arrives in stores and at all digital retailers via Warner Bros. Recordson September 15^th while the film opens in theaters everywhere Friday October 13.

Listen to “Stand Up For Something” HERE.

The original song was written for Marshall by GRAMMY®, Emmy®, and Golden Globe® Award-winning and eight-time Academy® Award-nominated legend Diane Warren and Academy® Award and GRAMMY® Award-winning hip-hop icon and actor Common. It spotlights Day’s show-stopping and stunning vocals over powerful production as well as thought-provoking rhymes from Common. In addition, Marshall marks Day’s on-screen debut in the film.

About “Stand Up For Something” and Marshall, Day comments, “I was so moved by the story of Thurgood Marshall. It was an incredible honor to not only be asked to record the lead single, but also appear in the movie. I’ve always dreamed of working with Diane and Common, and the experience was better than I could have ever imagined. This is such an important project. I’m thankful to be a part of it.”

“I am so honored to have worked with Andra and Common on this important song.  I am more proud of this song than any other I have ever written,” said Warren.

Stay tuned for more details on the Marshall Soundtrack soon.

About Marshall:

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell.MARSHALL is based on a true incident in the life of Thurgood Marshall, when he was a young lawyer, long before his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. As the nation teeters on the brink of WWII, a nearly bankrupt NAACP sends Marshall to conservative Connecticut to defend a black chauffeur against his wealthy socialite employer in a sexual assault and attempted murder trial that quickly became tabloid fodder. In need of a high profile victory but muzzled by a segregationist court, Marshall is partnered with Samuel Friedman, a young Jewish lawyer who has never tried a case. Marshall and Friedman struggle against a hostile storm of fear and prejudice, driven to discover the truth in the sensationalized trial which helped set the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement to come. MARSHALL will be in theaters nationwide on October 13, 2017

About Andra Day:

Carried by enough conviction to incite cultural change, Andra Day’s full-length debut Cheers to the Fall[Warner Bros. Records] garnered a 2016 GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best R&B Album,” while its ubiquitous lead single “Rise Up” achieved a nod for “Best R&B Performance” and earned an RIAA Platinum certification in addition to amassing over 37 million Spotify streams. Andra quite literally performed everywhere: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Ellen, Dancing with the Stars, The View, Hallmark’sNational Christmas Tree Lighting, Audience TV, the CMA Country Christmas, and the America’s Got Talent Holiday Spectacular.

Quietly recognized amongst some of music’s most legendary names, the singer paid tribute to Ray Charles at The Smithsonian and shared the stage for performances with everyone from Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang, Bonnie Raitt, and Stevie Wonder to Ellie Goulding, Alicia Keys, and John Legend. Her voice abounded throughout the halls of the historic 2016 Democratic National Convention as well as the “International Day of the Girl” event at The White House. Along the way, she covered Essence Magazine and achieved the prestigious “Powerhouse Award” at the Billboard Women in Music event. Expanding its influence into different genres, the Mstr Rogers Remix of “Rise Up” would also soundtrack a Google Home campaign.

2017 kicked off with two show-stopping performances by the chanteuse at the 48^th Annual NAACP Image Awards and a knockout Bee Gees tribute during the 59^th Annual GRAMMYs®. Hyatt welcomed Andra as the voice of its “For A World Of Understanding” campaign, breathing new life into the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic, “What The World Needs Now Is Love.” As she continues to rise, work has already begun on her second full-length album due out this year.

For more information on Andra Day, visit http://www.andraday.com

Official Poster for MARSHALL Starring Chadwick Boseman!

Before MLK and Malcolm X, there was Thurgood Marshall. Witness the rise of the man who changed America. Check out the brand newOFFICIAL POSTER for MARSHALL, starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell. MARSHALL hits theaters October 13^th.

SYNOPSIS:

Long before he sat on the United States Supreme Court or claimed victory in Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that desegregated schools, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was a young rabble-rousing attorney for the NAACP. The new motion picture, MARSHALL, is the true story of his greatest challenge in those early days – a fight he fought alongside attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a young lawyer with no experience in criminal law:  the case of black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), accused by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson), of sexual assault and attempted murder.  

CAST:

Chadwick Boseman

Josh Gad

Kate Hudson

Dan Stevens

Sterling K. Brown

James Cromwell

DIRECTOR: Reginald Hudlin

WRITERS: Jake Koskoff and Michael Koskoff

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Luo and Belton Lee

PRODUCERS: Paula Wagner, Jonathan Sanger, and Reginald Hudlin

#MarshallMovie

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MarshallMovie

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/MarshallMovie

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/MarshallMovie

Film Site: www.MarshallMovie.com

Marshall - Official Trailer - In Theaters October

On October 13, 2017, witness the rise of the man who changed America. 
Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) is Thurgood Marshall. 



Long before he sat on the United States Supreme Court or claimed victory in Brown v. Board of Education, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was a young rabble-rousing attorney for the NAACP. The new motion picture,MARSHALL, is the true story of his greatest challenge in those early days – a fight he fought alongside attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a young lawyer with no experience in criminal law:  the case of black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), accused by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson), of sexual assault and attempted murder.

SYNOPSIS:

Long before he sat on the United States Supreme Court or claimed victory in Brown v. Board of Education, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was a young rabble-rousing attorney for the NAACP. The new motion picture,MARSHALL, is the true story of his greatest challenge in those early days – a fight he fought alongside attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a young lawyer with no experience in criminal law:  the case of black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), accused by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson), of sexual assault and attempted murder. 

RELEASE DATE: October 13, 2017

CAST:

Chadwick Boseman

Josh Gad

Kate Hudson

Dan Stevens

Sterling K. Brown

James Cromwell

DIRECTOR: Reginald Hudlin

WRITERS: Jake Koskoff and Michael Koskoff

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Luo and Belton Lee

PRODUCERS: Paula Wagner, Jonathan Sanger, and Reginald Hudlin

#MarshallMovie

Facebook: Facebook.com/MarshallMovie

Twitter: Twitter.com/MarshallMovie

Instagram:  Instagram.com/MarshallMovie

Film Site: www.MarshallMovie.com

Marshall - Nationwide Release October 13, 2017

OPEN ROAD FILMS SETS “MARSHALL” FOR NATIONWIDE RELEASE  OCTOBER 13, 2017

 “MARSHALL” STARS CHADWICK BOSEMAN, JOSH GAD, KATE HUDSON, STERLING K. BROWN, DAN STEVENS AND JAMES CROMWELL

LOS ANGELES (January 31, 2017) – Open Road Films has set October 13, 2017 for the nationwide release of MARSHALL starring Chadwick Boseman (upcoming “Black Panther,” “42,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Get on Up”) as legendary attorney and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Josh Gad (“Frozen,” “The Wedding Ringer,” upcoming “Beauty and the Beast”) as lawyer Sam Friedman, Kate Hudson (“Mother’s Day,” Oscar® nominee for “Almost Famous”), Dan Stevens (upcoming “Beauty and the Beast,” “Downton Abbey”),James Cromwell (Oscar® nominee for “Babe”), Sterling K. Brown (Emmy® winner for “The People vs. O.J. Simpson,” NBC’s “This Is Us”) and Keesha Sharp (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”). Oscar® nominee Reginald Hudlin (producer of “Django Unchained”) is directing and Paula Wagner (“Mission: Impossible,” “The Last Samurai”) is producing through her Chestnut Ridge Productions banner along with Jonathan Sanger (“The Elephant Man”) and Hudlin.

Director Reginald Hudlin stated: "I can't wait for the world to see this movie.  It's a thriller, not a biopic, about an early case of one of the greatest lawyers in American history.  In a time when we need heroes who fight for justice, MARSHALL is an inspirational movie that brings people together. And it's a lot more fun than anyone expects." 

Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg added: "Thurgood Marshall spent his whole life fighting for justice and his story has never been more relevant. We are living in volatile times and this film, as well as the entire career of Justice Marshall, serves as a potent reminder that fighting injustice is as important today as it was before and during the Civil Rights Movement. We are incredibly proud of all the work that went into MARSHALL - particularly the top-notch filmmaking from director Reginald Hudlin and producer Paula Wagner, as well as fantastic performances from Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Sterling K. Brown, Dan Stevens, James Cromwell and the entire cast.  We are looking forward to sharing this film with all Americans and audiences around the world."

Financiers of MARSHALL are Star Light Media, Inc., Hero Film, Ltd. and Sky Legend.  Executive producers are Peter Luo and Belton Lee.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is handling international distribution of MARSHALL.

MARSHALL is based on a true incident in the life of Thurgood Marshall, when he was a young lawyer, long before his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. As the nation teeters on the brink of WWII, a nearly bankrupt NAACP sends Marshall to conservative Connecticut to defend a black chauffeur against his wealthy socialite employer in a sexual assault and attempted murder trial that quickly became tabloid fodder. In need of a high profile victory but muzzled by a segregationist court, Marshall is partnered with Samuel Friedman, a young Jewish lawyer who has never tried a case. Marshall and Friedman struggle against a hostile storm of fear and prejudice, driven to discover the truth in the sensationalized trial which helped set the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement to come.

The screenplay for MARSHALL is a unique collaboration between renowned trial lawyer, Michael Koskoff, and his son, screenwriter Jacob Koskoff (“Macbeth”).

MARSHALL is being produced with the full support of the Thurgood Marshall and Samuel Friedman estates, including their children, John W. Marshall and Lauren Friedman.