Jamie Foxx Takes on the Funeral Industry in ‘The Burial’

Let me first establish that I would be incomprehensibly terrified of facing Jamie Foxx in court, and I don’t just mean Jamie Foxx as Willie E. Gary, the real-life maverick lawyer and protagonist of Prime Video’s upcoming original film The Burial; I mean Jamie Foxx in absolutely any context. The fact that he has no formal legal training would barely be a hindrance so long as he kept his pockets full of that insurmountable charisma.

So imagine what some poor defendant would be in for if Foxx portrayed a character who does, in fact, occupy a rather prolific space in the legal world. Those of you familiar with the true story behind The Burial may already know how that song and dance would end, but for those of you who don’t, here’s everything you need to know about Foxx’s upcoming film, the folks behind it, and when you’ll get to sink your teeth in.

What is The Burial about?

The Burial is based on the true story of one Willie E. Gary (Foxx), who agreed to represent funeral home owner Jeremiah Joseph “Jerry” O’Keefe in his lawsuit against the Loewen funeral company after the latter withdrew from a contractual agreement with the former. The case was instrumental in shining a light on Wall Street’s involvement in the funeral industry, and there’s no prizes for guessing what that involvement entailed.

Who stars in The Burial?

Alongside Foxx’s starring role as Gary, Tommy Lee Jones and Bill Camp portray Jerry O’Keefe and Raymond Loewen, respectively. Jurnee Smollett (Spiderhead), Mamoudou Athie (Elemental, Jurassic World Dominion), Alan Ruck (Succession), and Pamela Reed also star.

When does The Burial release?

The Burial premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival today, and will have a limited theatrical release on October 6 before landing on its permanent home, Prime Video, on October 13.

(featured image: Prime Video)