British Rapper Stormzy Launches Film Company with Short Film ‘Big Man’

Stormzy steps into movies by launching his film production company #Merky Films. His first project, Big Man, a 24-minute short directed by Oscar winner Aneil Karia, will be released on YouTube on June 18.

"I always say: music is my first love, but film is my second. #Merky Films is something I've been dreaming about for ages – a space for powerful British stories and a solid home for fresh, unexpected art," said Stormzy, as noted in The Guardian.

Shot with an iPhone 16 Pro, the film stars Stormzy as Tenzman, a former music star who meets two young boys. Acting alongside lead role Stormzy are talents Klevis Brahja, who was cast on the street for his role, and Jaydon Eastman, who played Young Simba on The Lion King UK and Ireland tour.

Netflix signed a deal with #Merky Films for new content. Plans include a TV drama and a life story about someone yet to be named.

"We have a few projects developing with Netflix. I'm bursting at the seams to talk about them... It's fair to say it's Black stories, Black experiences depicted through the screen. We want to give that feeling of a narrative that you've experienced but never seen it on screen," Stormzy told Deadline, revealing he's not allowed to discuss it in detail yet.

#Merky Films is not the artist's first venture outside of the music industry. His growing empire includes #Merky Books, in partnership with Penguin Random House, #Merky FC, his sports gear brand in collaboration with Adidas, and his charity foundation.

Big Man's director Aneil Karia won his Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2022 for his work on The Long Goodbye. His latest work puts a fresh spin on Hamlet with Riz Ahmed.

At 31, Stormzy aims to open doors for fresh talent. His team at #Merky Films plans to make true stories, cartoons, and what they call a wild, new take on thought-provoking documentaries. Some projects break the rules, while others stick to tried-and-true paths. Each one pushes toward something different.