How to Watch and Stream The Color Purple 2023

Movie fans are in for a treat come Christmas Day. The critically acclaimed 1985 film, The Color Purple, featuring Whoopi Goldberg, has been remade—and with Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg backing the film, you know it’s going to be good.

The Color Purple hits theaters on Monday, December 25, and features a star-studded cast you’ll most definitely want to purchase a ticket for. While Whoopi is not among the cast, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Ciara, and Jon Batiste (among others) are starring in the much-anticipated remake. Like the original, The Color Purple, which is a musical/drama, follows the life of Celie, a woman born in the early 1900s who attempts to find herself after overcoming myriad struggles in her lifetime, including an abusive childhood, teen pregnancy, and a violent marriage. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by American author Alice Walker.

Considering the accolades the original movie earned, the topic of the remake is rather divisive, with some people excited for the release while others wonder why a remake was even necessary. No matter where you stand on the matter, watching the original is a must. Fortunately for us, the 1985 version is available to stream.

How to Watch The Color Purple (1985)

The original film can be watched from the comfort of your own home via Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. Where The Color Purple is free to watch on Max if you’re a subscriber, it costs $3.99 to rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.

If after watching the original you’re curious to see how the new cast aligns, you can watch the two official The Color Purple trailers ahead of seeing it in theaters.

How to Stream The Color Purple (2023)

When the movie is released on December 25, it will be exclusive to movie theaters, so you’ll need to buy a ticket if you’d like to see it now. If you’re waiting for streaming, it may be some time before you’re watching it on your couch.

Warner Brothers has not yet announced when the movie will be streaming, but, as Max is Warner Brothers’ streaming service, we expect it to stream on Max when it’s available. If it follows the pattern of recent releases like Barbie and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour movie, it will be available to rent before subscribers can watch it. Stay tuned for more details as information becomes available.

Rebecca Ravee Norris is a full-time freelance writer with a decade’s worth of lifestyle media experience. Based out of the Washington metropolitan area, she writes for a variety of publications, covering everything from beauty and wellness to style and celebrity news. She is a graduate of George Mason University. There, she earned her B.A. in Media: Production, Consumption, and Critique, along with a minor in Electronic Journalism. When she’s not working, she can be found with her beloved Jack-Chi, Cash, adventuring with family and friends, working through reps at the gym, dreaming up her next home decor project, testing a new recipe, getting lost in the pages of a book, or catching up on her favorite shows.