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.

Premise

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor.

— Deadline Hollywood^[1]

Cast

• John David Washington as Boy Willie Charles
• Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker Charles
• Ray Fisher as Lymon
• Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece Charles
• Michael Potts as Wining Boy
• Corey Hawkins as Avery Brown
• Melanie Jeffcoat as Miss Ophelia
• Erykah Badu
• Gail Bean as Grace
• Jerrika Hinton
• Stephan James
• Malik J. Ali
• Jay Peterson
• Matrell Smith

Production

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] 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]