Image: Netflix
Netflix will produce an adaptation of the critically acclaimed play The piano lesson, which recently closed on Broadway and will see Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington reprising their roles. The film is set to hit theaters in late 2024, and here’s the latest on everything we know so far.
Directed by Malcolm Washingtonfor the The piano lesson will be his directorial debut. Previously he was Second Unit Director on The last bookstore And The Trouble Man. The screenplay was co-written by Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams (Mudbound, 24, Criminal MindsDenzel Washington, Katia Washington and Todd Black produce The Piano Lesson.
(L-R) Malcolm Washington, Katia Washington, Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington
Netflix first announced in March 2021 that it would adapt the August Wilson play. It is their second August Wilson adaptation after Ma Rainey’s black asswhich earned Netflix two Oscars after its release in late 2021.
What is the plot of The piano lesson?
Image: Getty Images
Netflix The piano lesson is based on August Wilson’s 1987 play of the same name, which was well received by critics and audiences. The play was nominated for several Tony Awards and Wilson won a Pulitzer Prize in 1990.
The play was already made into a film in 1995, starring Charles S. Dutton, Alfre Woodard, Carl Gordon and others.
In 2010, Denzel Washington and Viola Davis starred in the new Broadway production of August Wilson’s Fences. Both won Tony Awards for their roles.
The play recently returned to Broadway as an “Event of the Season,” with its final Broadway performance scheduled for January 29, 2023. It premiered in October 2022 and received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike…
Here is the synopsis for Netflix’s The piano lesson:
“At the heart of the story is the ornate piano, the Charles family’s most prized, hard-won possession, gathering dust in the living room of Berniece Charles’ Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece’s exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same land in Mississippi where his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell her antique piano for the cash needed to risk his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is her family legacy. This dilemma is the true ‘Piano Lesson,’ reminding us that black people are often denied both symbols of their past and opportunities in the present.”
Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece and Skylar Smith as Maretha in “The Piano Lesson”.
Who is in The piano lesson?
At the end of February 2023 we received our first casting call, including for roles such as Maretha, Grace, Boy Charles, Dolly, Crawley, Sutter, Young Boy Willie, Mama Ola and Miss Ophelia.
In mid-April 2023, Netflix announced the first six main actors who will either reprise their roles from the play or make their debut.
- Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Avengers) as Doaker Charles
- John David Washington (BlacKKKlansman, Tenet) as Boy Willie
- Ray Fisher (Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Rebel Moon) as Lymon
- Danielle Deadwyler (Till, The Harder They Fall) as Berniece
- Michael Potts (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Rustin) as Winning Boy
- Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, The Tragedy of Macbeth)
Cast list for Netflix’s The Piano Lesson – Images courtesy of Netflix
On May 30, Netflix confirmed Erykah Badu would have a cameo appearance with several musical performances for the film. The R&B, soul and hip hop singer is best known for songs such as On & On, Next Lifetime, Didn’t Cha Know and Bag Lady.
Image: Jordan Smith
What is the production status of The piano lesson?
Netflix The piano lesson is currently in pre-production. Filming is scheduled to begin on April 17, 2023, primarily in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Some were surprised that Georgia was chosen as a filming location, as much of the original story takes place in Pittsburgh.
According to WGXA, some additional filming for the movie was done in Macon, Georgia. “They loved what they saw here in Macon and wanted to shoot a few more scenes that they felt we were a perfect fit for,” Aaron Buzza, senior vice president & COO of Visit Macon, told the news outlet.
The planned completion date for The piano lesson is provisionally set for June 17, 2023.
What is the Netflix release date for The piano lesson?
Netflix has confirmed that The piano lesson will debut worldwide on November 22, 2024after a two-week limited theatrical window beginning November 8, 2024. The film will first premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
For more movies coming to Netflix in fall 2024, see What’s on Netflix.
We can confirm that the film was officially rated PG on July 17th due to strong language, violent content, some lewd references, and smoking. We can also confirm the film’s runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Are you looking forward to The piano lesson on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
