Black Nativity
“The Musical Event of the Holiday Season”
Synopsis
A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Black Nativity Official TEASER TRAILER (2013) - Forest Whitaker Musical HD
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-07-01
Top Cast
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Forest Whitaker
Reverend Cornell Cobbs
Angela Bassett
Aretha Cobbs
Jennifer Hudson
Naima
Tyrese Gibson
Loot / Tyson
Jacob Latimore
Langston
Mary J. Blige
Platinum Fro
Nas
Street Prophet (Isaiah)
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Pawnbroker
Grace Gibson
Maria / Mary
J. Mallory McCree
Kyle
Rotimi
Officer Butch McDaniels
Michael Dale
Innkeeper
Doug Willen
Chic Man
Henry Hunter Hall
Snoopy
Marija Abney
Nativity Dancer
Jevon McFerrin
Bus Singer #2 (uncredited)
Amyrh Harris
Church Goer (uncredited)
Paugh Shadow
Bethlehem / Modern Day Thug Hallucination (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
November 27, 2013
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$17.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.4x
-$10.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Kasi Lemmons
- Screenplay & Story
- Kasi Lemmons, Langston Hughes
- Original Score
- Raphael Saadiq, Laura Karpman
- Original Title
- Black Nativity
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Production Budget
- $17.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $7M
- Production Studios
- Malvern Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, TSG Entertainment
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Kasi Lemmons
Kasi Lemmons, Langston Hughes
Raphael Saadiq, Laura Karpman
Anastas N. Michos
Terilyn A. Shropshire
T.D. Jakes, Trudie Styler
Department Leadership Roster
Kasi Lemmons
Director
T.D. Jakes
Producer
Trudie Styler
Producer
Anastas N. Michos
Director of Photography
Kasi Lemmons
Writer
Raphael Saadiq
Original Music Composer
Terilyn A. Shropshire
Editor
Gersha Phillips
Costume Design
Laura Karpman
Original Music Composer
Kristi Zea
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 0 — Approved without age restriction.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Black Nativity.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Black Nativity.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Black Nativity
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Black Nativity about?
A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.
Who directed Black Nativity?
Black Nativity was directed by Kasi Lemmons.
Who stars in Black Nativity?
The principal cast of Black Nativity includes Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tyrese Gibson, Jacob Latimore.
When was Black Nativity released and how long is it?
Black Nativity was released in 2013 with a total runtime of 1h 33m.
What was the box office and production budget of Black Nativity?
Black Nativity had a reported production budget of $17.5M and grossed $7M at the worldwide box office (0.4 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Black Nativity?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Black Nativity was composed by Raphael Saadiq, Laura Karpman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Black Nativity?
Black Nativity holds official age classifications: DE: 0 (FSK 0 — Approved without age restriction.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).