Will Smith, 52, helps shape Venus, 41, and Serena Williams, 39, into the tennis legends we know them as today in his latest film role. In the first trailer for King Richard, which dropped Wednesday (July 28), Will portrays Richard Williams, Venus and Serena’s father who help train them in tennis at a young age. The film is out November 21 in both theaters and on HBO Max, and will explore Richard’s harrowing (and controversial) journey teaching his daughters tennis and how the two girls bonded over the years.
In the trailer, Will’s Richard has a young Serena (Demi Singleton) and Venus (Saniyya Sidney) out on the tennis courts day and night, rain or shine. Luckily, the sisters are fast learners, and they begin to pursue the sport with help from their father. “I think you might just have the next Michael Jordan,” tennis coach Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal) tells Richard of the girls’ impressive tennis skills, to which Richard confidently responds, “Oh no, brother man, I gots me the next two.”
The journey to becoming tennis legends is not easy on Serena and Venus, as the trailer indicates, but Richard continues to support his girls regardless of outside criticism. “The most dangerous creature on this whole Earth is a woman who knows how to think,” he says. “Ain’t nothing she can’t do. You’re going to show them how dangerous you are?” The film also stars Aunjanue Ellis, Tony Goldwyn, Dylan McDermott, Judith Chapman and Noah Bean.
King Richard was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and features a producing team that includes Will, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, the Williams sisters, their half-sister Isha Price, and more. Will eagerly shared the trailer on his social media accounts after it dropped, and even called the role “one of the greatest honors as an actor” on Instagram. “I’m proud to show you all our first trailer for #King Richard, the of the man who introduced the world to @venuswilliams and @serenawilliams,” Will added. “The origin story for some REAL DEAL superheroes!!”