H.E.R. set for role in The Color Purple musical movie

Hit singer H.E.R., known for her songs "Best Part" and "Focus" as well the Oscar-winning "Fight For You" from Judas and the Black Messiah, is set to appear in the upcoming movie adaptation of The Color Purple musical.

Joining the previously unveiled Corey Hawkins, H.E.R. will take on the role of aspiring singer Squeak.

Director Blitz Bazawule (who recently oversaw Beyoncé's Black is King visual album) has signed on to helm the feature, which has not yet released much more than its initial burst of casting.

The film will reportedly head to cinemas on December 20, 2023, presented by Warner Bros.

The musical is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, and tells the story of heroine Celie over 40 years as she finds her place in the world.

It has a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

The show was first staged in the US in 2005 and in the UK at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013, with that production then transferring to Broadway where it ran until 2017. Cynthia Erivo (who has since gone on to appear in a variety of films) starred in that original production, though it is unknown if she plans to reprise her role for the film.

The upcoming movie is set to be produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones, which has a screenplay by Marcus Gardley. Walker's book was previously adapted into a film in 1985 (nominated for 11 Oscars), starring Whoopi Goldberg and directed by Spielberg.

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