Teyana Taylor’s directorial debut is a love letter to movement, music and New York grit

Set in New York City’s subways, the spring 2027 release marks a new creative chapter for the Oscar-nominated artist

Teyana Taylor’s first feature film as a director isn’t set on a soundstage or inside a conservatory. It unfolds underground, in the New York City subway system, where talent collides with instinct and artistry takes shape in real time.

Paramount has set Taylor’s feature directorial debut, “Get Lite,” for theatrical release on April 9, 2027. The film follows a gifted but sheltered dance student who finds inspiration, love, and a sense of family in an unexpected place, reshaping his understanding of movement and community beyond formal training.

TheGrio first reported on “Get Lite” in March 2024, when Teyana Taylor and Storm Reid announced their collaboration with Paramount on the project.

Storm Reid, best known for “Euphoria” and “The Last of Us,” is set to star in the film and will also serve as a producer. The project is produced by Kenya Barris and Anni Weisband under Khalabo Ink Society, along with Robyn Simpson for A Seed & Wings Productions and Bill Karesh of Offbrnd. Taylor will executive produce.

The premise reflects a throughline in Taylor’s own creative career, which has consistently blurred the boundaries between music, dance, fashion, and film. “Get Lite” centers movement not as spectacle, but as a form of communication — a language developed through proximity, struggle, and shared space. By grounding the story in the subway, the film reframes the Big Apple as both classroom and collaborator.

“Get Lite” is not Taylor’s first time calling the shots, though. For years, she has quietly built a directing résumé, often crediting herself as Spike Tee — a moniker inspired by filmmaker Spike Lee and reflective of her aspirations behind the lens. Through her production company, The Aunties Production, which she co-founded to create a women-led, artist-driven creative pipeline, Taylor has directed music videos, overseen visual concepts, and handled full-scale production work for major artists and tours. Her work has earned industry recognition, including BET’s Video Director of the Year, and she wrote, directed, and produced the short film accompanying her 2025 visual project “Escape Room.” “Get Lite” represents the natural next step — a larger canvas for a filmmaker who has already been shaping visual narratives on her own terms.

That through line is evident in the film’s premise. “Get Lite” treats movement as language rather than spectacle, centering the body as a tool for survival, connection and self-definition. By grounding the story in the subway, the film reframes the city as both collaborator and classroom, a place where artistry is learned through proximity and lived experience.

News of the project arrives during a standout period for Taylor as a performer. Her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” earned widespread acclaim, including a Golden Globe win for best supporting actress and nominations from SAG-AFTRA, BAFTA, and the Academy Awards. She was also nominated for her first Grammy for her latest album, “Escape Room.”

Those accolades have reinforced Taylor’s range in front of the camera and in the studio, but “Get Lite” signals an expansion of creative control. Rather than stepping into an established franchise or prestige formula, Taylor is introducing a story rooted in environment, physical expression, and chosen family.