The Color Purple 2023 Streaming: When Will It Release Online?

By David Thompson Posted:
The Color Purple 2023, Halle Bailey

The Color Purple (2023) will eventually be able to watch on Warner Bros. Discovery's Max streaming service.

Starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks, 2023's The Color Purple is the second film to be made based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker.

Featuring Steven Speilberg and Oprah Winfrey as producers, the 2023 version of this story was also produced by Warner Bros. and Amblin Entertainment, just as the original 1985 film was.

However, heading into 2024, many may be wondering when the musical drama will be available to purchase or stream at home after its debut in theaters.

The Color Purple Online Release Date

The Color Purple poster
The Color Purple

After opening on Christmas Day, December 25, The Color Purple is off to a hot start at the box office, earning $18.1 million in 3,142 theaters during its first day.

The interest is clearly there for this remake, also inspired by the 21st century Broadway musical, and will likely draw attention to those audience members wanting to watch from home.

Unfortunately, The Color Purple is a unique release for WB in 2023, but there are some comparisons to help accurately predict its theaters-to-digital release window.

A few smaller-budget WB films from this year that could serve as valuable comparisons include House Party, Magic Mike's Last Dance, Evil Dead Rise, and The Nun II.

Here's a glance at their theatrical-to-digital windows, with three of them being exactly 18 days:

  • House Party: January 13 - January 31 (18 days)
  • Magic Mike's Last Dance: February 10 - February 28 (18 days)
  • Evil Dead Rise: April 21 - May 9 (18 days)
  • The Nun II: September 8 - October 3 (25 days)

As The Nun II is the only film listed during the second half of 2023, it's more likely that 25 days will be the window given to The Color Purple, especially when considering its early box office success.

This would mean that The Color Purple's (2023) potential digital release date could be Friday, January 19, 2024.

When Will The Color Purple 2023 Begin Streaming?

Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service, now called Max (dropping the "HBO") hosts a wide variety of scripted and non-scripted programming.

Many of the series and movies watched on Max are new, releasing in 2023 and soon in 2024.

All of the previously mentioned films distributed by WB were eventually streaming on Max. Soon The Color Purple will be joining them in 2024.

The window from theaters to streaming has been less predictable in 2023, with Magic Mike 3 notably taking over 100 days after its release to begin streaming:

  • House Party: January 13 - March 3 (49 days)
  • Magic Mike's Last Dance: February 10 - June 2 (112 days)
  • Evil Dead Rise: April 21 - June 23 (63 days)
  • The Nun II: September 8 - October 27 (49 days)

A safe prediction for The Color Purple to begin streaming on Max is Friday, February 16, 2024, 53 days after its Christmas Day opening.

This could vary drastically, but sometime in February is when fans can expect the coming-of-age flick to hit streaming on Max.

The Color Purple is now playing in theaters.

- About The Author: David Thompson
As an editor, writer, and podcast host, David is a key member of The Direct. He is an expert at covering topics like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and business-related news following the box office and streaming.