Director Stephen Williams, Writer Stefani Robinson Working On ‘Black Mozart’ Biopic For Searchlight Pictures

Searchlight Pictures is developing a feature about the true story of Chevalier de Saint-Georges (aka. ‘Black Mozart’) which Emmy-nominated writer Stefani Robinson (“Atlanta,”What We Do in the Shadows”) penned and DGA Award nominee Stephen Williams (“Watchmen,” “Westworld”) will direct.

Born in 1745 in the French Caribbean, the musical prodigy was the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner. He rose to improbable heights in French society, dazzling as both a violinist and composer, and a champion fencer. An ill-fated love affair with a French noblewoman, and a falling out with Marie Antoinette and her court led to his untimely downfall. 

Williams was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and educated in the U.K. His breakout 1995 film, “Soul Survivor,” played Cannes to critical acclaim, before he moved to premium dramas series like “The Americans,” “The Walking Dead,” “Ray Donovan” and “Westworld.” He directed the much-lauded sixth episode of HBO’s “Watchmen,” titled “The Extraordinary Being.”

Robinson has an exclusive overall production deal at FX to develop series for the platform and others. She’ll return for a third season of “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Atlanta,” and will contribute to the fourth season of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning limited series “Fargo” as a part of her deal. “Chevalier” marks her feature writing debut.