Rapper Vince Staples Lands First Lead Role in 'Punk' (Exclusive)

Aussie director Richard Hughes will make his feature debut with the road trip movie.

Vince Staples — the Long Beach rapper whose music has been featured in projects such as Creed, Atlanta and Marvel's Black Panther — has set his sights on a role in front of the camera.

Staples is attached to lead indie feature Punk from Brian Kavanaugh-Jones' Automatik and writer-director Richard Hughes.

The feature centers on Peter (Staples), who, after receiving a disheartening rejection letter, takes off on a road trip with a group of free spirits. He soon discovers they are a band of bank robbers headed by a modern-day Robin Hood who is also on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Kavanugh-Jones will produce the movie, along with Braden Aftergood (Hell or High Water, Wind River) and his Eighty Two Films banner.

Staples made his acting debut in a minor role in Rick Famuyiwa's Dope. He is repped by WME. 

Hughes, who is also repped by WME, is an award-winning commercial director from Australia. Punk will be his feature directorial debut.