Snoop Dogg Biopic ‘Snoop’ Set for 2027 Release as Universal Moves Forward With Major Hip-Hop Film

Universal Sets 2027 Release for Snoop Dogg Biopic

Snoop Dogg’s life story is officially headed to the big screen.

Universal has confirmed a 2027 theatrical release for the long-awaited Snoop Dogg biopic, with the announcement made during the studio’s CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas. The reveal instantly pushed the film into the conversation as one of the most anticipated hip-hop movie projects now on the calendar.

According to the latest reporting, the film is being called Snoop, with Jonathan Daviss cast to portray the rap icon. Craig Brewer, known for Hustle & Flow and Dolemite Is My Name, is directing, while Joe Robert Cole is involved on the screenplay. Brian Grazer, Snoop Dogg, and Sara Ramaker are among the producers attached to the project.

Jonathan Daviss Takes on a Major Role

The casting of Jonathan Daviss will be one of the biggest talking points around the film.

Daviss has built a strong profile through Outer Banks, but this role gives him a chance to step into a much bigger spotlight. Playing Snoop means capturing not only the rapper’s image and voice, but also the charisma, humor, calm presence, and evolution that made him one of hip-hop’s most recognizable stars.

If the performance lands, this could easily become a career-defining role for the young actor.

The Film Will Trace Snoop’s Rise From Long Beach to Global Stardom

The biopic is expected to follow Snoop Dogg’s rise from Long Beach, California, through his breakthrough alongside Dr. Dre in the early 1990s and into his transformation into a worldwide entertainment brand.

That means the film has room to cover several chapters of his story: the Death Row era, his early dominance in rap, his reinventions across music and television, and his long run as a business-minded cultural figure who remained relevant across multiple generations.

Reports have also indicated that the production has secured access to Snoop’s life story and music catalog, a major advantage for any music biopic trying to deliver authenticity on screen.

Death Row Pictures and NBCUniversal Add Bigger Meaning

What makes this project even more significant is where it sits in Snoop’s larger business story.

The film is tied to the broader Death Row Pictures partnership with NBCUniversal, announced in 2025. That makes this one of the first major feature projects to emerge from that deal and shows that the partnership is already moving into serious studio territory.

This also suggests that Snoop is not being treated like a minor side project. It appears to be part of a wider push to expand hip-hop storytelling across film and television under Snoop’s own creative umbrella.

New Update: Production Expected to Start This Summer

There are also fresh details that give the project more momentum.

Multiple reports say production is expected to begin this summer, and Snoop reportedly teased that the team plans to return to CinemaCon next year with a trailer. He also joked during the presentation that the film will be rated R, hinting that the movie may not water down the rougher edges of his rise.

That update matters because it shows the biopic has moved beyond early announcement stage and is now looking more like a film that is actively building toward release.

Why This Snoop Dogg Biopic Matters for Hip-Hop

Snoop Dogg has appeared in other stories tied to Death Row and West Coast rap before, but this is the first major studio biopic built fully around his life.

That matters because Snoop’s story is bigger than one era. He is one of the few rap artists whose career connects the early 1990s gangster rap explosion, the music video era, reality television, mainstream corporate branding, and modern pop culture celebrity all in one arc.

If done right, Snoop could become one of the most important hip-hop biopics of this generation.