Overview
- Cudi announced the project on social media Wednesday, posting wardrobe-test photos that show him in character and saying he wrote and will direct the film.
- He says he researched Basquiat through books and conversations with people who knew the artist and called the movie a personal tribute to 1980s New York.
- The announcement gives only a few concrete details: Cudi is the lead writer, director and star and filming is slated to begin in 2027 while producers, full cast and distributors have not been named.
- The project will join several contemporary Basquiat works in development, including a Samo Lives film with Kelvin L. Harrison attached and a King Pleasure documentary, which sets up likely comparisons over casting and access to archives.
- The move builds on Cudi’s growing directing resume this year and could broaden who gets to shape Basquiat’s screen legacy while leaving key questions about financing, partners and release timing unanswered.