| Washington Black | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | Selwyn Seyfu Hinds |
| Based on | Washington Black by Esi Edugyan |
| Showrunner | Selwyn Seyfu Hinds |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Hulu |
| Release | July 23, 2025 |
Washington Black is a drama miniseries for Hulu. Based on the book of the same name by Esi Edugyan, it was released on July 23, 2025. [1]
The setting is Barbados and Nova Scotia in the early 1800s. An eleven-year-old boy (Kingsley) is forced to flee his home on a sugar plantation in Barbados after a shocking death. He comes under the wing of Medwin Harris (Brown), who himself had a traumatic childhood as a Black refugee in Nova Scotia. [2]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Flying Man & the Musician" | Wanuri Kahiu | Selwyn Seyfu Hinds | July 23, 2025 |
| 2 | "Movements of Jah People" | Wanuri Kahiu & Rob Seidenglanz | Selwyn Seyfu Hinds | July 23, 2025 |
| 3 | "Of Love & Caribbean Rum" | Rob Seidenglanz | Frankie Benadriguez | July 23, 2025 |
| 4 | "The Souls & Science of Black Folk" | Mo Marable | Jennifer Johnson | July 23, 2025 |
| 5 | "St. George and the Dragon" | Mo Marable | Michael Cobian & Blaize Ali-Watkins | July 23, 2025 |
| 6 | "Selamiut" | Mo Marable | Marco Ramirez | July 23, 2025 |
| 7 | "J'ouvert Morning" | Mo Marable & Rob Seidenglanz | Shernold Edwards & Ann Cherkis | July 23, 2025 |
| 8 | "If You See My Mama, Whisper Her This..." | Wanuri Kahiu | Selwyn Seyfu Hinds | July 23, 2025 |
In March 2019 the rights for the novel were bought by 20th Television in association with Indian Meadows Productions, Anthony Hemingway Productions and The Gotham Group in a competitive situation. [3] In September 2019, it was reported that an adaptation of the novel was in development at Hulu with Sterling K. Brown attached as producer. [4] In October 2021, it was announced that Hulu had given the production a series order to a limited television adaptation of the novel consisting of nine episodes. The project will be produced by 20th Television with Sterling K. Brown and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds as executive producers. [5] Hinds is adapting the novel and showrunner for the series alongside series writer Jennifer Johnson. The directors are Wanuri Kahiu and Mo Marable. [6]
in November 2021, Ernest Kingsley Jr. was cast as title character George Washington ‘Wash’ Black, alongside Sterling K. Brown as Medwin Harris, with Iola Evans also cast as Tanna Goff. [7]
In February 2022, Tom Ellis was cast as Christopher ‘Titch’ Wilde. [8] That month, Rupert Graves was cast as a series regular and Shaunette Renée Wilson in a recurring role. [9] Charles Dance was also cast as Titch's father, James Wilde. [10] In May 2022, Billy Boyd, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and Julian Rhind-Tutt were cast in recurring roles. [11]
Filming began on 28 March 2022 in Nova Scotia. [12] Filming locations included Lunenburg, The Ovens, Mount Uniacke, the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, and Halifax. [13] Principal photography concluded in Mexico City, Mexico on 18 September 2024. [14]
The series released all eight episodes on July 23, 2025, on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. [1]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 87% approval rating based on 23 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "An adventure yarn bolstered by weighty themes, Washington Black brings Esi Edugyan's acclaimed novel to life with a terrific ensemble and striking production design." [15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 69 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable". [16]