Afterconquering the charts,Glastonbury’s Pyramid stageand launching his ownpublishing imprint, Stormzy is taking his first steps into the world of movies with starring in a short film about the travails of an ex-rapper.
Big Man will be made by the rap star’s own production company Merky Films in association with Apple, and featureStormzy– in a sizable wig – as the lead character Tenzman, “a former rap star now navigating a restless and uncertain chapter of his life”.
The film is directed by Aneil Karia, who won an Oscar in 2022 for his short filmThe Long Goodbye, which starred Riz Ahmed.
Released on YouTube on 18 June, Big Man blends “humour, vulnerability and quiet transformation”, according to the team behind it, who added that “the film thoughtfully explores themes of reconnecting with your younger self and embracing gratitude”.
“It’s a natural next step for everything we do at #Merky,” Stormzy added. “Sharing our stories, spotlighting important voices and making room for those who deserve to be seen and heard.”
Stormzy has built a growing empire away from his music work that blends grant-giving, literature and sport – with a book imprint (#Merky Books, which is part of Penguin Random House), #Merky FC in collaboration with Adidas, and his own foundation.
The rapper, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, said that the film company is something he has “been dreaming about for ages”, calling it a space for “powerful British stories and a solid home for fresh, unexpected art”.
He said: “I hope you love our first project, Big Man, as much as we loved making it. For me, it’s all about the joy, spirit and fearless energy of youth – that feeling like life is one big adventure and the world’s your playground. I hope it inspires you to dream bigger, live louder and hold on to that unapologetic energy that comes with being young.”
Merky Films is also developing a drama series and what it is calling “a seminal biopic that promises to leave a lasting cultural mark”, although the subject of the film is to be confirmed.
The company is also working on what it calls “thought-provoking documentaries”, a “bold new animation project” and a “boundary-pushing, new-age mockumentary”.
Stormzy will be joined on screen by Klevis Brahja, who was street cast for his part, and Jaydon Eastman, who starred in The Lion King UK and Ireland tour as Young Simba.
The news came after Black British film-makers and producers told the Guardian they were “fighting over scraps” amid lack of opportunities, with some claiming conditions are worse now than before the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.
Andy Mundy-Castle, the founder of the indie company Doc Hearts, who won aBaftaand aRoyal Television Society awardin 2024 for the documentaryWhite Nanny, Black Child, said despite critical acclaim it was as difficult as ever to get commissions.
“You are so far removed from the top of the food chain that you just get the scraps … we aren’t given the biggest opportunities,” he said.