Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington recently spent four months together as the stars of the Broadway revival of August Wilson’s play The Piano Lesson. Following the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama becoming wildly popular on the stage, Jackson and Washington are returning to their roles in The Piano Lesson, alongside a talented cast. It will be among the many Netflix new releases to look forward to.
Netflix has announced plans to bring The Piano Lesson to its streaming service in a movie that has Denzel Washington’s family all over it. Along with Tenet’s John David Washington set to star, Denzel’s other son Malcolm Washington is directing and co-writing, with Denzel Washington producing along with Katie Washington – one of his daughters – executive producing. Additionally, Justice League’s Ray Fisher, Till’s Danielle Deadwyler and Straight Outta Compton's Corey Hawkins are among the cast.
Ray Fisher was central to the Warner Bros. DC drama when his role as Cyborg was shortchanged, but the actor has been nabbing up some exciting projects as of late. The Piano Lesson could be a big opportunity for the actor along with re-teaming with Zack Snyder for the upcoming Netflix space epic, Rebel Moon.
The Piano Lesson follows an African-American family in 1936 following the Great Depression and what comes of their family piano, which is adorned with designs carved by their enslaved ancestors. The content of the play features the ongoing arguments of a brother and sister, who have different ideas about what to do with the family heirloom. The play was previously adapted into a movie in 1995 starring Charles S. Dutton and Alfre Woodard.
The recent Broadway revival played from September 2022 to late January 2023, and became both the highest-grossing revival of a play on Broadway and the highest-grossing Wilson production on Broadway of all time in those four months. A ton of big names also came to see Jackson and Washington in the revival, including Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Chris Rock, and Robert De Niro. Additionally, Jackson had reunions with Captain Marvel star Brie Larson, who supported him by attending, and Pulp Fiction co-star Uma Thurman, who came to the production and hung out with Jackson backstage as well.
Netflix previously adapted the August Wilson play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in 2020 and it went on to win two Oscars out of a total five nominations. Denzel Washington also previously starred in 2016’s Fences with Viola Davis based on a Wilson play, which Davis won an Oscar for and the movie scored four nominations for overall.
With The Piano Lesson, John David Washington not only follows in his father’s footsteps by being in a movie adaptation of a Wilson play, but Netflix could have another awards contender on its hands with the star-studded cast. We’re excited to see what the whole cast does with the material!
