Studiocanal has revealed an exclusive first look at the teaser trailer and poster for California Schemin’, the directorial debut of Shameless and X-Men star James McAvoy, confirmed for release in UK & Irish cinemas on 10 April 2026.
California Schemin’ stars Séamus McLean Ross (Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Rebus), Samuel Bottomley (How to Have Sex, Anemone), Lucy Halliday (Blue Jean, The Testaments) and Rebekah Murrell (Pirates, One Day), alongside McAvoy himself.
Based on an improbably true story, the film follows aspiring Scottish MCs Gavin (Séamus McLean Ross) and Billy (Samuel Bottomley) as they devise an audacious scheme to achieve their dream of a record deal, by posing as Californian hip hop artists. As fame beckons and the lies pile up, their friendship is put to the test.
Written by Elaine Gracie and Archie Thomson, California Schemin’ is produced by Danny Page of Homefront Productions and Michael Mendelsohn of Patriot Pictures, alongside Paul Aniello of Tartan Bridge and Simon Kay. The film is produced with funding from The National Lottery through Screen Scotland and Mendelsohn’s Union Patriot Capital affiliate is financing the film production.
Executive producers include Natalie Perrotta and Jim Steele for Patriot Pictures, Naysun Alae-Carew, Nic Crum, Lauren Lamarr for Blazing Griffin; Steven Little and Kieran Hannigan for Screen Scotland; Stephen Kelliher and Yana Georgieva are executive producers for Bankside Films.
Co-Producers are Barry Hutchison and Fiona Hutchison for Zertex Media, and Isabelle Georgeaux for Pont Neuf Productions.
Studiocanal, Canal+’s in-house studio, is one of Europe’s leading film and television studios, with worldwide production and distribution capabilities. It operates directly in nine major European markets including Austria, Benelux, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, and offices in the United States and China.
The studio finances, produces, and distributes 200 films per year, owns one of the most prestigious catalogues in the world and the largest catalogue of European titles, boasting more than 9,400 titles from 60 countries. With a catalogue spanning 100 years of film history, Studiocanal has invested close to 25m euros into the 4K restoration of nearly 1 000 classic feature films over the past 7 years.
Scot McAvoy’s illustrious journey has taken him from starring in cult Manchester noughties TV classic Shameless to starring in Hollywood blockbusters, including as Dr Charles Xavier in the blockbuster Marvel X-Men franchise.
California Schemin’ will be released by Studiocanal in the UK and Ireland on 10 April 2026.
