James McAvoy debuts directorial effort with Scottish rap biopic

Actor James McAvoy has released the trailer for ‘California Schemin’’, marking his feature directorial debut. The R-rated musical biopic is based on the memoir by Gavin Bain and follows the real-life story of the Scottish rap duo Sibilin N’ Brains.

Set in the early 2000s, the film depicts how the duo, mocked for their Scottish accents, successfully conned their way into the American hip-hop scene by posing as artists from California. This deception led to a record deal with Sony, MTV airplay, and connections with major industry figures, though the scheme eventually began to unravel.

Produced by Magenta Light Studios, the film stars Séamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley. McAvoy, who also stars in the film, stated that the project allows him to tell a story about people from a lower-income background while exploring whether friendship and identity can survive the pressures of the music industry. The film is scheduled for a limited theatrical release on October 9, 2026, with a wider release following in late October.