NEW YORK (AP) — After holding “Emancipation” in limbo following Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards in March, Apple will release the actor’s next big project in December. The fate of the $120 million runaway slave thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua had been uncertain. One of Apple’s most high-profile productions yet, the film had once been expected to be a potential Oscar contender this year. But an awards-season rollout of a film headlined by Smith has obvious complications as Smith is banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years. Apple TV+ will debut “Emancipation” on Dec. 2 in theaters and stream it Dec. 9.