“Snoop Dogg is one of the most gifted and influential artists alive, with admirers and fans all over the world and from every generation transcending music, sports and culture,” Giannina Scott told Deadline. “Ridley and I, with our companies Scott Free and Cara Films, are so excited and blessed to have Snoop join the cast, and for him, Sara and Death Row Pictures to partner with us to produce this important and soulful project from Rosalind Ross.”

What is the upcoming movie ‘God of the Rodeo’ about?

The film is based on the work of New York City-based author and journalist Daniel Bergner, whose 1998 nonfiction book “God of the Rodeo: The Search for Hope, Faith, and a Six-Second Ride in Louisiana’s Angola Prison” was named a notable book of the year by The New York Times.

Set in 1967 inside Louisiana’s Angola Prison — now the largest maximum-security prison in the country and historically one of the most dangerous in the South — the forthcoming film centers on Buckkey, a hardened inmate serving a life sentence who finds a glimmer of redemption in an unlikely opportunity: the prison’s first-ever inmate rodeo.

As Buckkey and his fellow inmates prepare for a last grasp at glory, they’re confronted with the reality that the rodeo is nothing more than a gladiatorial showcase — a grueling fight for survival designed to satiate the public’s bloodlust and fulfill the warden’s delusion of godliness.

Rosalind Ross (“Father Stu”) is writing and directing the project, and Snoop praised her adaptation of “God of the Rodeo” as “a story with heart and grit, and that’s what I’m about” in the Deadline story.

“It’s a thrill and an honor as a filmmaker to bring the legendary swagger, soul and eccentricity of Snoop to this story in what will be a completely transformative role for him,” Ross said, according to Deadline.

“Moreover, I’m deeply gratified by the kindred artistic spirit and conviction of cause that Snoop, Sara and Death Row Pictures have for this collaboration with myself, Giannina, Ridley, and the rest of our incredible producing team.”

When and where in Oklahoma is the movie ‘God of the Rodeo’ set to film?

“God of the Rodeo” also is a project of Rebellium Films, a prolific Tulsa-based production company behind the recent Oklahoma made-movies “Brian,” a comedy that premiered earlier this month at South By Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, and “The Gates,” a thriller featuring the late James Van Der Beek’s final film role that opened this month in select theaters.

“God of the Rodeo” will film in Boley and Tulsa and use the state film incentive as well as the new Tulsa Film Incentive, Rebellium Films owner and producer Randy Wayne told The Oklahoman.

The largest and best-known of Oklahoma’s historically all-Black towns — and one of only 13 still in existence — Boley has a rich rodeo history. Since 1903, the the Okfuskee County town has hosted the Boley Rodeo, the nation’s oldest Black community-based rodeo and a longstanding Memorial Day weekend tradition.

“God of the Rodeo” is scheduled to film June 15 to July 31 in the Sooner State, according to the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.

Will Shia LaBeouf be able to star in ‘God of the Rodeo?’

While Snoop Dogg has been experiencing a career resurgence — the rapper served as Team USA’s first honorary coach for the 2026 Winter Olympics, was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 and recently spent two seasons as a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” — LaBeouf has been embroiled in more legal trouble since his casting in “God of the Rodeo” was announced last year.

During last month’s Mardi Gras celebrations, the controversial actor and former child star was arrested in New Orleans for a pair of alleged assaults, USA TODAY reports. A NOLA judge subsequently ordered to LaBeouf to return to rehab as well as submit to weekly drug tests.

Plus, his former partner FKA Twigs is suing LeBeouf, alleging he tried to use an “unlawful” nondisclosure agreement to silence her, years after she accused him of sexual battery and assault. In a legal complaint filed Wednesday, March 25, the British electronic pop artist set out to block LaBeouf from enforcing parts of the NDA that she claims violate California law and public policy.

She previously accused LeBeouf of sexual battery, assault and infliction of emotional distress in a 2020 lawsuit that was settled in July 2025.

LeBeouf has filmed in Oklahoma before, including on the 2016 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize-winning road movie “American Honey,” which was partially made in Muskogee.