Kid Cudi to Star as the Late Jean-Michel Basquiat in JEAN Biopic

October 21, 2026

Kid Cudi is set to direct and star in a biopic about the late Jean Michel Basquiat titled JEAN after writing the script himself over the summer.

On Wednesday (Oct. 21), Cudi revealed the news in an Instagram post, noting the film is scheduled to start principal photography in 2027. The Cleveland native also shared photos from an early wardrobe test, showing himself transformed into Basquiat with a dark wig.

“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film,” he wrote. “But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said f**k it, ima write it myself. Did a wardrobe test, got a wig made (this isnt the final just a rough, trust me we gon get it perfect). But I wanted to tease what we been cooking a bit.”

He continued: “This one im so proud of and excited about. To write a film about someone who existed was a challenge, but it was a welcomed one. A lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him. This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city. 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.

“I know a lot of yall gon be like FINALLY hahaha I love it,” he concluded. “This ones for all those dreamers out there. Stay tuned.”

Basquiat was a Brooklyn-born Haitian and Puerto Rican American artist who rose to prominence in New York City’s art scene during the 1980s. Initially known for his graffiti under the name SAMO, he became internationally recognized for paintings exploring race, class and power before his death at 27 in 1988.

Cudi has appeared in multiple films and television projects including Need for Speed, Entourage and X. He also created, co-wrote and starred in his 2022 Netflix animated special, Entergalactic.

Check out Kid Cudi’s full post and the photos of him as Basquiat below.