“It’s going to be amazing”: the 1997 movie Morgan Freeman predicted would become a “national treasure”
Morgan Freeman predicted Steven Spielberg’s 1997 historical drama *Amistad* would be “amazing” and a “national treasure”, but it failed to meet those expectations. The film’s disappointing reception showed that a celebrated director, powerful subject and star-studded cast do not guarantee either awards success or box-office appeal.
Released after Spielberg’s remarkable 1993 double success with *Jurassic Park* and *Schindler’s List*, *Amistad* earned four Oscar nominations, including a supporting actor nod for Anthony Hopkins. It struggled commercially, and Spielberg later said even his children were not interested in watching it; Freeman had been so keen to join the project that he said he would have worked for free.
- Freeman expected *Amistad* to become a national treasure.
- Spielberg’s 1997 drama fell short of its early promise.
- It received four Oscar nominations but flopped commercially.
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Amistad is a historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1997. It tells the story of enslaved Africans who rebelled aboard a ship called La Amistad in 1839, and the legal case that followed in the United States.
The film came after Spielberg’s 1993 successes Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List, and featured actors including Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins. Its reception is a reminder that a famous director, well-known cast and serious subject do not by themselves ensure a film will attract large audiences or major awards.