Kid Cudi is ready to step into one of art history’s most storied roles. The musician and actor said Wednesday that he will write, direct and star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in “Jean,” posting wardrobe test photos of himself in character on Instagram, Variety reported.
“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said f— it, ima write it myself,” Cudi wrote. He also warned fans that the wig in the photos was “not the final just a rough” version of the look.
Writer, Director and Star: Inside Kid Cudi’s Basquiat Film
Cudi is pulling triple duty on “Jean” as lead actor, writer and director. He called writing about a real person a challenge he was glad to take on, one that meant “a lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him.”
He sees the film as a tribute as much as a life story. “This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city,” Cudi wrote. “Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before.”
Basquiat rose out of New York’s downtown scene to become one of the most influential artists of his generation before his death in 1988 at 27.
The Project So Far
Filming on “Jean” is set to begin in 2027. No release date, additional cast or plot details have been announced.
“Jean” will be Cudi’s third feature as a director. His debut, the addiction drama “Doe,” wrapped production in Los Angeles earlier this year. He’s now shooting his second, the horror thriller “Wrong Number,” in which he stars opposite Barbie Ferreira. Both films are expected in 2027.
Other Basquiat Projects
Cudi isn’t the only filmmaker drawn to Basquiat’s story. Director Kwame Kwei-Armah’s “The Collaboration,” adapted from Anthony McCarten’s 2022 stage play and starring Paul Bettany as Andy Warhol and Jeremy Pope as Basquiat, still has no release date, according to Variety. “Samo Lives,” a biopic starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. as the artist, finished filming in October 2025. Jeffrey Wright, who also appears in “Samo Lives,” played Basquiat in Julian Schnabel’s 1996 film “Basquiat.”
Kid Cudi’s Acting Work
Cudi has appeared as himself in “Bill & Ted Face the Music” and “House Party.” He played Jackson Hole in Ti West’s 2022 horror film “X” and served as an executive producer on its follow-ups, “Pearl” and “MaXXXine.” This year, he landed his first leading role in Adam Egypt Mortimer’s “Pathetic Fallacy.”
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