‘The Color Purple’: How to Watch Online at Home

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Director Blitz Bazawule’s adaptation of The Color Purple takes inspiration from the Broadway musical, which was further adapted from the popular book by Alice Walker — and it’s now available to watch online at home.

Buzz for the movie has increased now that awards season is in full swing. The movie most recently snagged wins at the 2024 African-American Film Critics Association Awards, including best musical, best ensemble and best music. It’s also a potential Oscar contender (nominations will be announced Jan. 23), which means its winning streak could keep rolling.

The film is currently still in theaters, but if you’d rather stay inside this weekend, then starting Tuesday (Jan. 16), the new version of The Color Purple will be available to rent for $19.99 or buy for $24.99 on Prime Video and Apple TV.

If you’re new to The Color Purple story, the film follows Celie (Fantasia Barrino, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi), a young woman who faces hardships throughout her life, including being torn apart from her sister, a teenage pregnancy and an abusive husband. It’s through the support of sultry jazz singer Shug (Taraji P. Henson) and her stepdaughter Sofia (Danielle Brooks) that she discovers a newfound sisterhood and the strength to survive.

Keep reading to learn the streaming options available.

How to Watch The Color Purple (2023)

The Color Purple has yet to get a streaming platform premiere date, but you can rent or buy the movie on digital through Amazon and Apple TV. You don’t need a Prime membership in order to gain access to the movie. Anyone can purchase or rent the film through Amazon. After you make your selection, the movie will automatically be added to your video library with rentals available for 48 hours.

For those who prefer Apple TV, you don’t need Apple TV+ in order to stream the movie at home. Just make sure you have the app and you can purchase or rent the movie to watch on your smart device and/or TV.

How to Watch The Color Purple (1985)

Want to watch the original version? The first Color Purple movie can be streamed for free through Max. If you’re already a subscriber, just log into your account and you can find it within the movie library.

Don’t have Max? The streaming platform doesn’t offer a free trial, but it does have budget-friendly plans starting at $9.99/month for the ad-supported plan. You can go ad-free for $15.99/month or go Ultimate Ad-Free and get 4K definition as well as everything in the ad-free plan for just $19.99/month. Click here or the button below to start your subscription.

Looking for more savings? Prime members can add Max as a premium channel for $9.99/month and gain access to the entire Max library of content including exclusive and original TV shows and movies like Barbie, Succession, The Rise of the House of Dragon, Game of Thrones, The Gilded Age, Natalia Speaks, True Detective Night Country and more.

Check below to watch the trailer for The Color Purple (2023).