Universal Pictures has officially scheduled Snoop, the upcoming biographical drama based on the life of hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, for a theatrical release on August 6, 2027. The film takes over the release date previously reserved for an untitled Universal event film and marks another major music biopic from a studio with a proven track record in the genre.
Jonathan Daviss, best known for Netflix’s Outer Banks, stars as Snoop Dogg, while Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Dolemite Is My Name) directs. The screenplay was originally written by Joe Robert Cole before Brewer completed a revised draft. Snoop Dogg is producing alongside Brian Grazer, Sara Ramaker, and Death Row Pictures, making the film the first project produced under Death Row Pictures’ overall deal with NBCUniversal.
The film will chronicle Calvin Broadus Jr.’s rise from the streets of Long Beach, California, to becoming one of the most influential figures in hip-hop and popular culture. Beyond his music career, Snoop has built a global entertainment brand spanning film, television, sports, business, and media over more than three decades.
Universal enters the project with one of the strongest records in Hollywood when it comes to music biopics. The studio’s 2015 N.W.A drama Straight Outta Compton became both a critical and commercial success, earning more than $201 million worldwide while receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Earlier, Universal released 8 Mile, Eminem’s semi-autobiographical drama, which grossed $242.8 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song with “Lose Yourself.” More recently, the studio handled the international distribution of Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic Michael, which went on to surpass $1 billion worldwide, further cementing Universal’s reputation for successfully bringing music legends to the big screen.
Snoop also represents an important milestone for Death Row Pictures following its partnership with NBCUniversal. Rather than focusing solely on Snoop Dogg’s recording career, the film is expected to explore his evolution into a businessman, producer, television personality, and cultural icon whose influence extends well beyond hip-hop.
Speaking during Universal’s CinemaCon presentation earlier this year, Snoop Dogg welcomed the opportunity to tell his own story after the success of Straight Outta Compton. “After my brothers got to tell their story with Straight Outta Compton, now it’s my turn,” he said, while also confirming the film will carry an R rating.
The early August release date places Snoop in a prime late-summer theatrical corridor, echoing the successful launch strategy Universal used for Straight Outta Compton. With an acclaimed creative team, one of hip-hop’s most recognizable figures at its center, and a studio that has consistently delivered successful music biopics, Snoop is already shaping up to be one of Universal’s most anticipated releases of 2027.
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