If you thought Abel Tesfaye (we all know him as The Weeknd) was content just ruling your playlists and Super Bowl halftime shows, think again. He’s not only crushing the music scene but now he’s chasing a wild, cinematic adrenaline rush with his debut film project, “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” And listen, this isn’t just another vanity project by a musician who wants to see his name in lights. There’s real buzz, a killer cast, and a plot so ripe with tension and neon-soaked style that fans and critics are drooling for its May 16, 2025 release.
A Plot That Hits Close to Home
Let’s peel back the curtain on the story, shall we? Tesfaye steps into the shoes of a pop star who, for once, can’t sing his way out of trouble. The movie centers on a fictionalized version of himself, a sleepless musician who finds himself spiraling into a hallucinatory, emotional freefall—all while insomnia eats away at his sanity. He’s not just making things up, either. The inspiration came from a real-life mishap during his 2022 After Hours til Dawn Tour, where he shockingly lost his voice mid-show. That chaotic night? It completely rebooted his creative vision. So, art imitates life in a neon-washed, synth-heavy fever dream.
The Synth-Noir Dream is Real
And speaking of fever dreams—have you caught a glimpse of the visual vibe? The film drapes itself in layers of synth-noir glory. Neon cityscapes flicker under purple and pink hues, conjuring all the throwback cool of “Drive” with a little dose of midnight anxiety. Tesfaye teams up with composer Daniel Lopatin—yep, Oneohtrix Point Never—for a soundtrack that’s slick and saturated in synth-pop and R&B. Every trailer pulse, each second of musical tease, hints at a production that feels part concert, part psychological thriller, all wrapped in moody, surreal visuals.
Press play on the latest teasers and you’ll pick up all the clues:
- Gritty, late-night city shots
- Soundscapes that ooze with echo and bass
- A surreal sense that you’re wandering the labyrinth of a restless mind
Don’t blink or you’ll miss a blink-and-miss fight with reality.
Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan Make It Unmissable
Of course, Tesfaye isn’t shouldering all of this madness alone. The cast list is pure gold. Jenna Ortega, who’s been riding high after smashing performances in the “Scream” franchise and Tim Burton’s “Wednesday,” plays Anima—a mysterious, possibly-not-quite-real stranger who leads our insomniac singer down a twisting rabbit hole. Ortega’s already cemented her status as Hollywood’s go-to for young, energetic oddballs, and her appearance here might just be her coolest yet.
But wait, there’s more. The Irish acting powerhouse Barry Keoghan, already glistening with Oscar buzz from “The Banshees of Inisherin” and the darkly brilliant “Saltburn,” joins the party, too. Nobody is saying who—or what—he plays yet, but if early leaks are accurate, expect him to bring the weird in ways only Keoghan can.
A Plot with Punch and Heart
This isn’t your average ‘musician finds himself in Hollywood’ movie. According to the hype on Reddit and everywhere else online, Tesfaye’s “Hurry Up Tomorrow” takes the audience on a personal, sometimes raw, journey. The pop star’s character isn’t just a cautionary tale about celebrity excess. Instead, it’s a thoughtful look at the toll modern fame takes on creativity, sanity, and identity.
Director Trey Edward Shults, known for poetic, boundary-pushing films like “Waves” and “It Comes At Night,” brings his A-game. Fans already trust Shults to strike a balance between intensity and artistry. Under his watchful eye, the film shakes off easy labels—it’s not just a musical or a psychological thriller or an existential drama. It’s a wild experiment that tries to blow the doors off every genre all at once.
Not Just Acting—The Weeknd Has His Hands on Everything
Let’s not gloss over this detail: Tesfaye isn’t showing up and reading lines. He’s in the creative trenches on “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” co-writing the script with Shults and his longtime writing partner Reza Fahim. He’s collaborating on the visual and sonic palette. And, perhaps most impressively, his fingerprints are on every frame, from casting to musical motifs.
Here’s what you need to know about music-movie crossovers: they’re a risky business. For every “Purple Rain,” you get a dozen high-profile flops nobody wants to remember. But this time, all the pieces are in place. The music is fresh—let’s not forget the film is named after his actual 2025 studio album. The story is deeply personal, packed with stakes and heart. And the cast? Just try and find a hotter group of rising stars this year.
Production Notes and What’s Next
- Lionsgate snapped up global rights—so you know distribution will not be an issue.
- The production budget sat comfortably north of $15 million, promising polish and ambition, not just vibes and music.
- Early city screenings are already generating underground buzz, with Tesfaye planning appearances in LA, New York, Toronto, and London.
- Social media drip-feeds sneak peeks—Ortega and Tesfaye together, behind-the-scenes jam sessions, and even a few surreal fan theories about Keoghan’s role.
Reddit’s r/TrueFilm and r/Popheads can’t stop bickering over whether this will become an instant cult classic or wind up another “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.” Over on TikTok, aesthetics influencers are recreating the neon makeup, sparking small style trends months before the premiere.
Why the Comparison to ‘Purple Rain’ Actually Makes Sense
Let’s get real: people are dropping the “Purple Rain” reference more than ever, and not just because it’s low-hanging fruit. Prince’s 1984 film was soulful, risky, loaded with live-music intensity, and felt, at every turn, like an authentic look into an artist’s fractured brain. “Hurry Up Tomorrow” might just be its 2025 spiritual cousin. In both, a megastar steps off the concert stage and onto the screen, inviting viewers into a creative world they know—but not too well.
The difference? Tesfaye is playing a version of himself, yes, but with a modern, global anxiety. Where Prince’s world was purple, Abel’s is soaked in sleep deprivation, haunted by social media, yet no less dramatic. Some critics are already hinting that this could be the music-movie of the decade.
Can Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan Bring the Crossover Cool?
It’s no secret that music movies live or die by their supporting cast. Ortega brings an edge, a vulnerability, and just the right amount of otherworldliness. TikTok stans are betting hard she’ll deliver the standout performance of her career. Meanwhile, Keoghan is a wild card. His reputation for diving deep into eccentric, complicated roles makes him the X-factor the film likely needs.
But this isn’t just about name-dropping hot young talent. What sets “Hurry Up Tomorrow” apart is the way it bleeds those performances into Tesfaye’s lived-in musical universe. If this works, it’ll elevate the current standard for all music-related films.
Why Everyone Should Have ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ on Their Radar
- It’s a risk, yes, but also the freshest take on music film in years.
- Pop culture forums and playlists everywhere are about to blow up with Weeknd fever—again.
- Early festival whispers suggest a possible awards run if the film delivers on its ambitious promises.
- And hey, there’s actual story substance beneath the neon polish and synth lines.
Hollywood already watched Tesfaye roll the dice with HBO’s divisive “The Idol”—and he swore this project “brought joy back into filmmaking.” (He told AP News this after the show’s dramatic fallout.) That sense of renewed creative spark pulses through every teaser frame and social buzz snippet for this film.
The Takeaway—Don’t Sleep on This One
So, what do you get when one of pop’s edgiest icons teams up with a visionary director, drops in two powerhouse actors, and refuses to color inside any lines? Quite possibly, the defining music movie of 2025. Tesfaye’s “Hurry Up Tomorrow” doesn’t just want your attention. It wants to wake you up.
