Having a movie made about your life may not officially be part of what the average person considers to be the American dream, but it’s apparently the latest chapter in the life and times of rapper 21 Savage.
Earlier today, 21 Savage released what purports to be the official trailer for American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, starring both Donald Glover (Community and Atlanta) and Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) as Savage at various points in his life.
If you're noticing the nonspecific phrasing being utilized within our reporting of this trailer's arrival, it's because there aren’t any real specifics to be had: the official website for the film simply says that it’s “coming soon,” and while the end of the trailer indicates that the film is scheduled to arrive “in theaters Independence Day,” there’s no formal announcement from Lionsgate that this date is actually locked in. In fact, the trailer isn't even offered via Lionsgate's official YouTube account, so make of that what you will.
Indeed, from what Q can tell, the trailer currently serves more as a teaser for new music from 21 Savage than anything else...not that there’s anything wrong with that.
21 Savage performs during "The Off-Season" tour at Oakland Arena on October 20, 2021 in Oakland, California
During the course of the trailer, viewers are shown a woman – ostensibly Savage’s mother, though it’s never explicitly stated – saying, “These people, they think we’re savages. Remember the wishing star: whenever you feel lost, just remember I’m looking up at the same star… That star is your dream and they can never take it.” While played by McLaughlin, Savage is bullied at school, after which he starts rapping and gets tattooed, but then Glover steps into the role, at which point he enters the studio with Metro Boomin (played by Jabari Banks), gets raided by ICE, goes to court, and then...gets knighted by Natasha Lyonne?
Okay, so maybe this isn’t a full-on bio-pic after all. But it’s clear that it’s predominantly based on Savage’s real life, at least, and the real Savage also features heavily throughout the trailer, performing the new song, the title of which has yet to be confirmed.
Directed jointly by Donald Glover, his brother Stephen Glover, Jamal Olori, and Fam Udeorji, American Dream also stars Victoria Pedretti (Haunting of Hill House), Young Mazino (Beef), Chad Lindberg, Gail Bean, and Druski. When it'll actually be released is anyone guess, but the trailer is certainly worth both a watch and a listen.
