Disney recently reworked their release schedule for the next few years, and while most of the attention has been on the various Marvel Cinematic Universe-related delays and the postponement of Mahershala Ali’s Blade, the studio did announce when Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s performance as composer Joseph Bologne will begin. On April 7, 2023, Harrison Jr., now the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, will impress the crowds in Chevalier as he continues his climb to power in French society. The story of Bologne, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner who became the first-known classical musician of African heritage, is chronicled by Chevalier.
His father recognised his tremendous musical talent at an early age and enrolled him in a prominent institution, but there he endured years of relentless abuse and hatred because of his race. Later in life, he became a famous fencer and musician, overcoming bigotry to enter Marie Antoinette’s (Lucy Boynton) inner circle, but his status in French society was threatened by a doomed love affair and a feud with the queen. The premiere of the film took place at the Toronto International Picture Festival, where it garnered generally positive reviews. Harrison Jr. was singled out as the festival’s favourite aspect of the film.
After portraying blues hero B.B. King in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, Harrison Jr. took on the challenge of bringing the classical figure to life, and by all accounts, he was successful. The film has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Harrison being the primary focus of the positive reviews. The cast includes Boynton, Samara Weaving, Minnie Driver, Marton Csokas, and Alex Fitzalan. Chevalier was created by Stephen Williams, who, as of late, has focused on creating and directing episodes for television shows such as Watchmen, Westworld, and Ray Donovan.
Since his first feature picture, 1995’s Soul Survivor, premiered at TIFF, this event also marked his return to the festival. The Atlanta-based writer and producer Stefani Robinson collaborated with him to realise her filmmaking debut. Also, she has written for another popular FX series, What We Do in the Shadows. Together with Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, and Diane McGunigle, Robinson served as the film’s producer. On April 7, 2023, Chevalier will have its world debut.