James McAvoy is finally stepping behind the camera for his directorial debut, and it sounds like a wild ride. His new film, California Schemin', hits US theaters nationwide on October 9, 2026, before expanding further on October 16 and 23. It already premiered at TIFF to rave reviews and picked up a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, so the hype is very real.
If you haven't heard the story yet, it's based on an absurdly true event. Two working-class Scottish kids want a record deal, but nobody takes them seriously. So, what do they do? They fake American accents, pretend to be Californian hip-hop artists, and somehow hustle their way into the industry. Seamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley star as the two MCs, alongside Lucy Halliday, Rebekah Murrell, and McAvoy himself.
McAvoy has wanted to direct since he was 16, and after 30 years in the industry, he decided to tackle a story close to his own roots. He wanted to highlight lower-income kids from council estates who use pure, shameless self-belief to bypass the industry gatekeepers entirely. But it isn't just a basic underdog tale. The real hook is watching the chaotic fallout: as the fake personas take over, their sanity and friendship start completely fraying at the seams.
If this piques your interest, you can check out the trailer below. Could be a fun, chaotic look at how far people will go just to get noticed.
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