Universal Pictures has locked in a summer release for its long-gestating Snoop Dogg biopic, announcing that "Snoop" will arrive in theaters on Aug. 6, 2027 — putting the R-rated film squarely in the middle of a crowded weekend that also includes Disney's "The Bluey Movie" and Black Bear's "Jason Statham Stole My Bike." [1][2]
Who's Making the Film
Outer Banks star Jonathan Daviss will play Calvin Broadus Jr. — the man the world knows as Snoop Dogg — in what Universal is billing as the "definitive biopic of the artist, mogul and icon of gangsta rap." [1] Daviss, who also appeared in the Netflix feature Do Revenge, joined Snoop onstage at CinemaCon earlier this year to preview the project's progress. [2]
Behind the camera, Craig Brewer directs. The filmmaker is best known for Hustle & Flow and last year's Song Sung Blue, a pedigree Snoop himself cheekily acknowledged at CinemaCon: "My director, Craig Brewer, he just showed us how hard it is out here for a pimp from Hustle & Flow. And then last year, he got us all singing 'Sweet Caroline.'" [2] Brewer also revised a script that had an initial draft from Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole. [2]
Producing the film are Snoop Dogg himself, Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer — who previously worked on Eminem's 8 Mile — and Death Row Pictures president Sara Ramaker. [1][2]
A Career That Demands the Big Screen
The subject matter is undeniably rich. Snoop Dogg is a 17-time Grammy-nominated artist whose cultural footprint stretches across more than three decades. [2] His public journey began in 1992 when he appeared on Dr. Dre's debut single "Deep Cover" and then on Dre's landmark solo album The Chronic. [1] His own debut album, Doggystyle, followed in 1993 on Death Row Records — with Dr. Dre as sole producer — and generated the hit singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice." [2]
Beyond music, Snoop has built a sprawling empire as a rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, producer, DJ, media personality, and entrepreneur with investments spanning tech, entertainment, lifestyle, food and beverage, and cannabis brands. [1] Universal chairman Donna Langley, when the project was first announced in 2022, framed the scope of that story plainly: "We met with Snoop shortly after he acquired Death Row Records and had the opportunity to hear his story in his own words. We are humbled to be able to create the lasting document of this singular artist." [1]
Rated R — By Guarantee
Snoop was characteristically direct at CinemaCon about the film's tone, telling the crowd: "My movie is going to be rated R, I guarantee that. So get your parents' permission." [2] The comment signals that the production won't sand down the rougher edges of a life that has included legal troubles, the volatile early days of West Coast gangsta rap, and the full arc from Compton to global icon.
Narrative Scope Still Unknown
One significant question remains open: the film's precise narrative structure. Universal has not confirmed whether "Snoop" will take a sweeping, career-spanning approach — in the tradition of Bohemian Rhapsody or the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael — or zoom in on a single defining chapter, as Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere does. [1] Plot details have not been released, leaving that central creative choice unresolved for now.
Death Row Pictures' First Studio Project
The film carries additional institutional weight as the first project under Death Row Pictures' overall deal with NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios. [2] Snoop acquired Death Row Records — the storied label that launched his career and that of Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, and others — and subsequently established Death Row Pictures as a content label, making this biopic the flagship test of that partnership. [1]
Universal has a proven track record with hip-hop biopics: the studio's 2015 N.W.A film Straight Outta Compton, which featured LaKeith Stanfield as a young Snoop Dogg, grossed more than $200 million at the global box office and earned an Academy Award nomination. [2] Snoop himself nodded to that lineage at CinemaCon: "After my brothers got to tell their story with Straight Outta Compton, now it's my turn." [2]
Production is expected to begin this summer, according to comments Snoop made at CinemaCon. [1] The film will incorporate music from his extensive catalogue, including "Drop It Like It's Hot," "Gin and Juice," "What's My Name," and "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang." [1]
What to Watch Next
The key milestones to track: an official production start date and any casting announcements for supporting roles — particularly whoever will portray Dr. Dre, a figure central to Snoop's origin story. A trailer and the first look at Daviss in character will be the earliest signal of how faithfully the film captures one of hip-hop's most recognizable personas. With an Aug. 6, 2027 target locked in, Universal will need to move quickly.