| The Piano Lesson | |
| Director: | Malcolm Washington |
| Music: | Alexandre Desplat |
| Cinematography: | Mike Gioulakis |
| Editing: | Leslie Jones |
| Studio: | Mundy Lane Entertainment |
| Distributor: | Netflix |
| Runtime: | 125 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Piano Lesson is an upcoming American drama film directed by Malcolm Washington, who co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams. It is an adaptation of the 1987 play of the same name by August Wilson. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.
The Piano Lesson is scheduled to premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, on September 10, 2024, and it is scheduled to be released in select theaters in the United States on November 8, 2024, before streaming on Netflix on November 22.
It was announced in April 2023 that Malcolm Washington would make his feature directorial and screenwriting debut with the film, an adaptation of the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson, with his brother John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, and Corey Hawkins starring.[1] John David Washington, Jackson, Fisher and Potts reprise their roles from the 2022 stage production of the play.[2] Washington's father, Denzel, is producing the film with Todd Black. In May, singer Erykah Badu was announced to be making a cameo appearance in the film.[3] Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jay Peterson and Matrell Smith rounded out the cast in June 2023.[4]
Filming began in Atlanta in April 2023.[5] The Pittsburgh Film Office expressed disappointment that the production would not be filming in the city like previous Wilson adaptations.[6]
The film has been announced as a special presentation at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[7] However, it has been listed by TIFF only as an international premiere, not a world premiere, suggesting a possible premiere at the Telluride Film Festival.
The Piano Lesson is scheduled to be released in select theaters in the United States on November 8, 2024, before streaming on Netflix on November 22.[8] [9]