Stormzy set to make film debut with major career move
Stormzy has officially unveiled #Merky Films, the latest addition to his creative empire.
The launch is his entry into the world of film and visual storytelling, expanding the #Merky brand (which already includes #Merky Books, #Merky Foundation, and #Merky FC).
To kick off the venture, Stormzy is debuting Big Man, a short film produced in association with Apple and shot entirely on iPhone 16 Pro.
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Aneil Karia, the film stars Stormzy in his first-ever lead acting role.
Klevis Brahja, 15, will also be making his acting debut in the film after being street-cast for the film.
Some fans may recognise Jaydon Eastman, 14, from The Lion King, Matilda, and MJ The Musical on the West End, who is also starring in the new project.
Premiering on YouTube at 8:00pm BST on June 18, 2025, the film follows the story of Tenzman, a retired rap star whose life takes an unexpected turn after he meets two spirited boys, Klevis and Tyrell.
Their unlikely friendship rekindles Tenzman's passion for music, leading him down new avenues of discovery. The film explores themes of rediscovery, gratitude, and the enduring power of connection. More Trending
'#Merky Films is something I've been dreaming about for ages,' said Stormzy.
'It's a space for powerful British stories and fresh, unexpected art. I hope Big Man inspires people to dream bigger and live louder.'
The new media venture aims to spotlight new voices and bold narratives within British cinema and TV, and its upcoming slate includes a drama series, a biopic, documentaries, a new animation project, and a mockumentary.
In an Instagram post about the project, Stormzy wrote: 'I hope you love Big Man as much as we loved making it. It captures the joy, the spirit and the fearless energy of youth and I hope it inspires you to dream big.'
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: 'Stupid' Apple Pay prank plagues commuters on London Tube
MORE: Warning issued to anyone with an iPhone over urgent security upgrade
MORE: WhatsApp will stop working on a range of phones this month – is yours on the list?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Romeo Beckham's sweet four-word message to dad after he finally gets knighthood
Sir David Beckham has shared an adorable post by his son Romeo, 22, congratulating him on receiving a knighthood - while Cruz and Brooklyn are yet to publicly break their silence Romeo Beckham has shared a sweet four-word message to his dad after it has been announced in the King's Birthday Honours List that David Beckham is set to receive a knighthood. Gone are the days Victoria will be nicknamed Posh, and she really has lived up to the moniker as Victoria, who received an OBE in 2017, also receives a new title with David's honour, and she will now be known as Lady Victoria Beckham. Each of the Beckham children are also famous, having grown up in front of the gaze of millions of fans. Although they have earned their own status' within the world of showbiz, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper Beckham won't get any royal recognition due to their dad's new title. Taking to Instagram in the early hours of Saturday, June 14 Romeo shared a black and white image of him and his dad with the words "So proud of you". David then shared it to his stories. Brooklyn and Cruz are yet to publicly congratulate their dad. The news comes as the family have been locked in a feud with eldest son Brooklyn, 26. Things came to a head when Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz skipped David's 50th birthday celebrations as the drama has reportedly resulted in the couple cutting contact with the famous family. Sir David said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Like every person who has received a knighthood, Sir David will be treated to an official ceremony. The ceremony, which often happens at Buckingham Palace, will see David kneel in front of a monarch – which can be either the King or another member of the Royal Family such as Princess Anne or Prince William – who will then touch the recipient's shoulder with a sword.
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Celebrities recognised in King's Birthday Honours list
The King's Birthday Honours celebrate individual outstanding achievements and contributions to British society. Honours are given to people involved in a range of fields, including sport, health, science and technology, education, business, and the arts and media, While Sir Gareth Southgate and Sir Sadiq Khan were names on the New Year Honours, here are some of the famous faces you might recognise that have made the new King's Birthday Honours list. Sir Gareth Southgate 🏴 Our former manager and player has been awarded a Knighthood in the King's New Year Honours List for 2025 for his services to association football 👏 — England (@England) December 30, 2024 Celebrities recognised in King's Birthday Honours list Here are some of the celebrities recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list, what honour they have received and what it is for. Georgia Harrison - Reality TV star - MBE for services to tackling online privacy and cybercrime awareness Samantha Morton - Actress - OBE for services to drama and charity Pam Duncan-Glancy - Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow Region - MBE for political and public service Penny Mordaunt - Former MP, former leader of the House of Commons and former Defence Secretary - Damehood for political and public service Rufus Norris - former director of the National Theatre - Knighthood for services to theatre Adjoa Andoh - actress - MBE for services to drama Pat Barker CBE - writer and novelist - Damehood for services to literature Claudia Winkleman - television presenter - MBE for services to broadcasting Tess Daly - television presenter - MBE for services to broadcasting Anita Dobson - actress - for services to charitable fundraising and philanthropy Gary Oldman - actor - Knighthood for services to drama David Beckham - former footballer - Knighthood for services to sport and charity Virginia Wade - former tennis player - OBE - For services to tennis and charity Billy Boston - former rugby player - Knighthood for services to rugby league Luke Littler - darts player - MBE for services to darts Luke Humphries - darts player - MBE for services to darts Deta Hedman - darts player - OBE for services to darts and charity Alistair Brownlee - former triathlete - OBE for services to triathlon and charity Rachel Daly - footballer - MBE for services to association football Frank Rothwell - Oldham FC owner - OBE for services to dementia research Devon Malcolm - former cricketer - OBE for services to cricket and to diversity in cricket Steven Davies - former cricketer - MBE for services to sport David Lawrence - former cricketer - MBE for services to cricket Monica Vaughan - former Paralympian - OBE for services to sport Andy Lapthorne - wheelchair tennis star - MBE for services to tennis Natasha Jonas - boxer - MBE for services to boxing and to the community in Liverpool Michael Dunlop - motorcycle rider - MBE for services to motorcycle racing Trish Johnson - golfer - MBE for services to women's golf Christine Still - BBC gymnastics commentator - MBE for services to gymnastics Stephen Lambert - television producer - OBE for services to television Roger Daltrey - leader singer of The Who - Knighthood for services to music and charity Debbie Crosbie - chief executive of Nationwide - Damehood for services to financial services Roisin Currie - chief executive of Nationwide of Greggs - CBE for services to hospitality Dana Strong - group chief executive of Sky - CBE for her services to business and media Clare Barclay - chief executive of Microsoft UK - Damehood for services to business, technology and leadership Lyssa McGowan - chief executive of Pets At Home - OBE for her services to retail Elaine Paige - West End star - Damehood for services to music and charity How does the British honours system work? Any member of the public or an official body can nominate someone for an honour. UK nationals and citizens of 15 Commonwealth 'realms', of which the King is head of state, are eligible for nomination. People living or working overseas, whose achievements were made in another country or in the UK and have a significant international element, can be nominated too. Nominations are submitted to the Cabinet Office's Honours and Appointments Secretariat, which oversees the honours system. A group of 10 independent honours committees, each covering a specialist subject area such as sport or health, consider nominations. King Charles ultimately decides who is recognised in the Birthday Honours list (Image: Temilade Adelaja/PA Wire) The recommendations of these groups of independent experts and senior civil servants are passed on to the Prime Minister and, ultimately, the King for approval. There are two sets of honours per year, at New Year and in June on the King's official birthday. Once all recipients have been decided and checked, the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood at St James's Palace arranges investitures for the presentation of medals. These ceremonies, held about 30 times a year at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and, occasionally, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and are hosted by senior royals. The most senior ranks of the Order of the British Empire are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) and Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE). Recommended reading: The order's ranks, after Knighthood or Damehood, are Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE). Other honours include Companion of Honour (CH), British Empire Medal (BEM), Royal Victorian Order (RVO), Order of the Bath and Order of St Michael and St George. There is also Royal Red Cross (RRC), King's Police Medal (KPM), King's Fire Service Medal (KFSM) and King's Ambulance Service Medal (KAM).
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
The sports star, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, is being honoured for services to sport and charity. Sir David said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Sir David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, who has described himself as a 'huge Royalist', was named an ambassador for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990. In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
