Just two years after co-starring in HBO’s divisive pop-star drama The Idol, musician Abel Tesfaye AKA The Weeknd is returning to the screen as his upcoming project Hurry Up Tomorrow gets its first look.
The three first-look images, posted exclusively by Entertainment Weekly, show Tesfaye and his co-stars Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan in an intense situation, with Tesfaye seemingly having a breakdown as both Ortega and Keoghan’s characters try and console him separately. Check out the images below.
Written and directed by It Comes at Night helmer Trey Edward Shults, the movie follows “a musician plagued by insomnia gets pulled into an odyssey with a stranger (Ortega) who begins to unravel the very core of his existence,” as per the official synopsis. The feature is said to be inspired by The Weeknd’s experience as a musician with the star playing a version of himself. The movie will also include music from the artist, with his new album also titled Hurry Up Tomorrow.
In the suspense thriller verging on horror movie, Ortega plays Amina, who seems to be the musician’s love interest, but Tesfaye describes her as being another version of himself. Whereas co-star Keoghan portrays the musician’s manager, who “loves” the artist as Keoghan describes, but has “darker intentions” too.
When asked to describe the genre-bending film, the director told Entertainment Weekly: “It’s about an artist, you could say, on the verge of a mental breakdown. It’s a mix of psychological thriller and drama. I honestly feel like I’ve never seen a movie quite like it.”
The project marks Tesfaye’s third acting venture after starring in The Idol with Nosferatu star Lily-Rose Depp, and the Safdie brother’s A24 movie Uncut Gems where the musician plays himself (The Weeknd.) Hurry Up Tomorrow also stars fellow musician Gabby Barrett who is making her acting debut.
Hurry Up Tomorrow releases in theaters on May 16, 2025. For more, see our list of the best horror movies that no one thinks are horror movies, or keep up with new movies heading your way in 2025 and beyond.