The Color Purple_
"It's about life. It's about love. It's about us."
An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing 'Mister' Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.
Starring
Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery
Box Office
$146.3M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Box office
The Color Purple earned $146.3M worldwide on a $15.0M budget — a 875% return on investment.
Year context
The Color Purple was released 41 years ago in 1985.
The Color Purple is a Drama, History film with a runtime of 2h 34m.
CAST (20)
Danny Glover
Albert
Whoopi Goldberg
Celie
Margaret Avery
Shug Avery
Oprah Winfrey
Sofia
Willard E. Pugh
Harpo
Akosua Busia
Nettie
Desreta Jackson
Young Celie
Adolph Caesar
Old Mr.
Rae Dawn Chong
Squeak
Dana Ivey
Miss Millie
Leonard Jackson
Pa
Bennet Guillory
Grady
JP
John Patton Jr.
Preacher
Carl Anderson
Reverend Samuel
Susan Beaubian
Corrine
JT
James Tillis
Buster
PS
Phillip Strong
Mayor
Laurence Fishburne
Swain
PK
Peto Kinsaka
Adam
LM
Lelo Masamba
Olivia
BOX OFFICE
$15.0M
Budget
$146.3M
Revenue
+875%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
154 min (2h 34m)
Country
Rating
7.7/10 (1,924 votes)
Budget
$15,000,000
Box Office
$146,300,000
Profit
+$131,300,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Color Purple about?
An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing 'Mister' Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.
How long is The Color Purple?
The Color Purple has a runtime of 154 minutes (2h 34m).
Who stars in The Color Purple?
The cast of The Color Purple includes Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard E. Pugh.
How much did The Color Purple make at the box office?
The Color Purple earned $146,300,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $15,000,000.
What is the rating of The Color Purple?
The Color Purple has a rating of 7.7 out of 10 based on 1,924 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Drama
History
