Update: A24 representatives have confirmed to IndieWire that the studio is not involved with the film even though the poster touts “Circus Maximus” as “produced by A24.” IndieWire has reached out to Scott’s representatives for comment.
Earlier: Surprise album drops are all the rage in the music industry, but Travis Scott is going further with a surprise movie drop. In preparation for the Friday launch of his album “Utopia,” the rapper has directed a new film “Circus Maximus,” and it’s coming to AMC theaters starting Thursday.
Scott announced the film on Twitter Tuesday morning (via Pitchfork). In one tweet, he shared a short trailer of the upcoming movie, which features footage of him performing. In a second tweet, he unveiled the poster of the film, featuring an image of him on a motorcycle. According to the poster, Scott wrote and directed the film, with additional high-profile collaborators including Gaspar Noé, Nicolas Winding Refn, Harmony Korine, Valdimar Jóhannsson, and Kahlil Joseph. According to the poster, A24 produced the film, which was shot in five countries, including Iceland, Denmark, France, Nigeria, and Italy.
Back in 2021, Scott’s Cactus Jack Films signed a production deal with A24, per a Variety report.
Although little more information about the film was announced, Scott also linked to a page on his official website listing Thursday screenings for “Circus Maximus” in almost 200 AMC locations across the United States. The official description for the film on AMC’s website implies that it will serve as a music film and preview of “Utopia:” “Prepare to enter ‘Circus Maximus’ as Travis Scott takes his audience on a mind-bending visual odyssey across the globe, woven together by the speaker rattling sounds of his highly anticipated upcoming album ‘Utopia.’ The film is a surreal and psychedelic journey, uniting a collective of visionary filmmakers from around the world in a kaleidoscopic exploration of human experience and the power of soundscapes.”
In addition to announcing the film, Scott officially set the release date for “Utopia,” his long-awaited fourth studio album, for the day after the “Circus Maximus’” release. “Utopia” has faced numerous delays over a three-year period: Scott officially announced its title in 2020, on the two-year anniversary of the release of his third album “Astroworld.” To promote “Utopia,” Scott released a lead single, “K-Pop,” featuring Bad Bunny and The Weeknd, on July 21. On Friday, Scott will celebrate the launch of “Utopia” via a livestream concert in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, despite attempts from Egypt’s Musicians’ Syndicate to revoke the permit for the show.
“Utopia” is Scott’s first major project since the notorious 2021 Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, where a fatal crowd crush resulted in the deaths of eight concertgoers. The tragedy led to the filing of several lawsuits against Scott for his handling of the incident, and forced the permanent cancellation of the Astroworld Festival, which the rapper founded and ran. Last month, a Texas grand jury declined to indict Scott or anyone else involved with the event on criminal charges.
Later this summer, Scott will also premiere another surprise film, “Aggro Dr1ft,” directed by “Circus Maximus” collaborator Harmony Korine, at the Venice Film Festival.
Watch the trailer for “Circus Maximus” below.
