Producer Reginald Hudlin’s Emperor Starring Dayo Okeniyi, Naturi Naughton, & Kat Graham To Get Digital Release On Aug. 18

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has picked up the U.S. rights to producer Reginald Hudlin’s Emperor, the feature based on the harrowing journey of American freedom fighter Shields Green, played by Dayo Okeniyi (Shades of Blue).

Mark Amin directed the pic, which was originally slated for a limited theatrical release in March via Briarcliff Entertainment but was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’ll be released on digital, DVD and on-demand on August 18.

Emperor is inspired by the legend of Shields “Emperor” Green, a descendant of African kings turned outlaw slave in the pre-Civil War South. Seeking freedom for his family, Green escaped from a plantation in 1859 and made a daring journey

north where he met Frederick Douglass and John Brown. With the opportunity to continue to freedom in Canada, Green instead chose to fight to end slavery. The raid at Harper’s Ferry is considered one of the sparks that led to the Civil War.

Emperor stars Dayo Okeniyi (Terminator Genisys, “Shades of Blue”), Naturi Naughton (“Power”), Kat Graham (“The Vampire Diaries”), Mykelti Williamson(Fences), Oscar nominee James Cromwell(Babe, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Oscar nominee Bruce Dern (Nebraska , Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood), Harry Lennix (“The Blacklist”) and Ben Robson (“The Boy”).

The film comes from a script by Amin and Pat Charles (Black Lightning, “Sons of Anarchy). Produced by Hudlin, Cami Winikoff and Amin.