The gifted musician and actor Kid Cudi announced Tuesday that a project he’s been writing since 2013 is finally heading to the big screen. Teddy is Cudi’s feature directorial debut, and it is set to premiere on Netflix.
“I always wanted to write my own movie, so I said f*** it and started doing it,” he wrote in a Twitter post. “The road has been long, from it being a tv show for years to finally being a film. So it means so f***** much to finally be able to bring it to the screen next year, and I can’t wait for u all to meet Teddy, his friends, his family and take a walk in his world for a bit.”
Cudi described Teddy as a visual rendition of his popular 2009 track “Pursuit of Happiness.” “I added a lot of my own personal struggles and experiences in it, so this film is very close to my heart,” he continued. “I know that deep down, this movie will help people in the same ways my music has. I’m continuing my mission. Now this is a comedy, but it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t sprinkle some real sh** in there. It’s trippy, it’s fun, it’s sad, it’s life.”
The project is produced by Jay Z, filmmaker Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall), and Mad Solar and Bron.
Cudi’s latest role is in Ti West’s X, the horror film that debuted earlier this month at SXSW. Previously, he’s starred in films and series including Don’t Look Up, We Are Who We Are, and Westworld. Teddy is currently in the pre-production stage of development.