'Watchmen' Producer Stephen Williams to Direct 'Black Mozart' Biopic at Searchlight

Stephen Williams Stefani Robinson Black Mozart

Getty Images

“Watchmen” executive producer Stephen Williams is set to direct the biopic “Chevalier de Saint-Georges” about the life of an 18th-century French composer who history has dubbed “Black Mozart,” based on an original idea from writer Stefani Robinson. The project will be set up at Searchlight Pictures, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Robinson, an Emmy-nominated writer on “Atlanta,” who sold the idea to Searchlight, will write the screenplay for the film. The project is an original screenplay based on her own idea about de Saint-Georges. The film will tell the story of the first known composer of classical music from African descent. Though he was born the illegitimate son of a slave and a French plantation owner, he rose in society and became a renowned violin soloist, as well as a champion fencer.

Searchlight will finance and distribute the film. SVP of production DanTram Nguyen, director of production Zahra Phillips, and manager Cornelia Burleigh, will oversee for the studio.

Also Read: Ben Schwartz and Sam Rockwell to Star in Comedy at Searchlight Pictures

Williams is a two-time Emmy-nominee for “Lost” and has also directed episodes of “Westworld” and “The Walking Dead.” He directed his debut film “Soul Survivor” in 1995 before primarily turning to television.

Robinson will return for the third season of FX’s “Atlanta,” and she is also an executive producer and writer on the FX series “What We Do in the Shadows” and has an overall deal at the cable network. She will return to “What We Do in the Shadows” Season 3 and the fourth season of FX’s “Fargo.”

WME’s Meyash Prabhu and manager Ken Stovitz negotiated the deal on behalf of Williams.

Robinson is represented by Dianne McGunigle of MGMT Entertainment, Sean Barclay at Gersh, and Lev Ginsburg of Ginsburg Daniels LLP.

Variety first reported the news of the project.

Every Black Director Nominated for an Oscar, From John Singleton to Spike Lee (Photos)

Spike Lee became only the sixth black director to receive an Oscar nomination in the Academy's history for his work on "BlackKklansman." But so far, no black filmmaker has won in that category.
Getty Images
John Singleton, "Boyz N the Hood" (1991) • Two years after Spike Lee was passed over for a nomination for "Do the Right Thing," John Singleton became the first African American to earn a Best Director nomination for his star-studded drama set in South Central L.A. That year, Jonathan Demme won the award for "The Silence of the Lambs."
Getty Images
Lee Daniels, "Precious" (2009) • Eighteen years passed before a second African American filmmaker was recognized: Lee Daniels, for his gritty portrait of a young woman seeking to overcome a childhood of poverty and abuse. In another Oscar first, Kathryn Bigelow became the first female director to win the Oscar, for "The Hurt Locker."
Getty Images
Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave" (2013) • British director Steve McQueen gritty drama about American slavery picked up nine nominations, including one for his directing. While the film won Best Picture (and McQueen earned a statuette as a producer), he lost the directing prize to "Gravity" filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón.
Getty Images
Barry Jenkins, "Moonlight" (2016) • Jenkins' underdog indie pulled off a major upset, beating front-runner "La La Land" for Best Picture. But Damien Chazelle claimed the directing prize for the modern-day musical. (Jenkins did take home the statuette for Best Adapted Screenplay.)
Getty Images
Jordan Peele, "Get Out" (2017) • Peele became the latest actor-turned-filmmaker to earn a Best Director nod, for his feature filmmaking debut. Peele won an Oscar for his original screenplay but Guillermo del Toro won Best Director for "The Shape of Water."
Getty Images
Spike Lee, "BlackKklansman" (2018) • Despite wide acclaim for such films as 1989's "Do the Right Thing" and 1992's "Malcolm X," the pioneering filmmaker earned his first nomination decades into his career for this fact-based tale of a black undercover cop who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.
Getty Images

1 of 7

Spike Lee finally makes the cut for “BlackKklansman”

Spike Lee became only the sixth black director to receive an Oscar nomination in the Academy's history for his work on "BlackKklansman." But so far, no black filmmaker has won in that category.

View In Gallery

Every Black Director Nominated for an Oscar, From John Singleton to Spike Lee (Photos)

Related Content

Netflix Commits $100 Million to Support Black Financial Institutions

Anthony Mackie Says It’s ‘More Racist’ That ‘Black Panther’ Is Only Marvel Movie With Black Crew

’30 Rock,’ ‘Scrubs’ and Other TV Shows and Movies Pulled Over Blackface and Racial Insensitivity (Photos)