Kid Cudi Lines Up Horror Thriller 'F*ckin Gnarly' as Follow-Up to Directorial Debut 'Doe'

Kid Cudi is gearing up to shoot his second feature film — a horror-thriller titled Fckin Gnarly* — just as his directorial debut Doe moves through post-production toward a 2027 premiere. The two-time Grammy winner, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, shared the details with fans on X on Saturday, telling them filming on the new project would begin "in a few weeks" (Deadline).

Before Fckin Gnarly* reaches screens, there is Doe to account for. Cudi described his debut as "a really intense drama, 24hrs in the life an addict who's living on the streets in LA." Production began in Los Angeles in April, with Cudi starring alongside Mark Webber, Leah McNamara, Brandon Scott and Brandon Perea. He is also recording original songs for the film's soundtrack.

The release plan, as Cudi laid it out, puts Doe premiering sometime next year, with Fckin Gnarly* following in the late summer of that same year. That is a tight turnaround between a first and second feature — one that signals Cudi is treating directing not as a side project but as a second career running parallel to his music.

For a general audience less familiar with the name: Kid Cudi rose to prominence in the late 2000s as one of hip-hop's most influential recording artists, known for blending rap with psychedelic rock and electronic music. He has won two Grammy Awards and has acted in film and television for over a decade, including roles in Need for Speed (2014) and the HBO series Westworld. Doe marks his first time behind the camera as a director on a feature film.

The jump from a street-level drama to a horror-thriller is a notable shift in genre, but Cudi has spoken before about his love of horror and his ambition to make films across a range of styles. Fckin Gnarly* will be the first test of whether that range can translate into a sustained directing career.

Cudi revealed no plot details, cast, or financing arrangements for Fckin Gnarly* beyond the title and genre. No distributor has been named for either film. What he did make clear is that the camera is rolling soon — and that fans of his music may soon know him as much for what he puts on screen as what he puts on a track.