Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work is everywhere, now a new Netflix documentary is introducing viewers to the man behind the art.
The streamer announced Thursday the film titled Jean-Michel Basquiat will premiere Dec. 11.
The documentary combines archival interviews with the late artist, along with conversations with his family and never-before-seen works of art.
In the trailer, Basquiat is shown being interviewed about his work and achieving massive success as a young artist in his 20s.
Directed by Quinn Whitney Wilson and Viridiana Lieberman, this is the first documentary approved by Basquiat’s estate. His sisters Jeanine Heriveaux and Lisane Basquiat, who oversee the estate, serve as executive producers.
Netflix acquired the film ahead of its June premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, where it won the award for Best Editing in a Documentary Feature.
The doc follows Basquiat from his childhood in Brooklyn through his time in New York’s punk scene and his rise to fame. Along the way, his sisters and others who knew him share their memories of the man behind the paintings.&
“Jean-Michel Basquiat’s legacy is undeniable. We see his art everywhere, from the most historical museums to the clothing moving through the streets,” the directors ;said in a statement earlier this year.
They added, “His origins have hardened into an ever-growing mythology, and it’s long overdue to meet him in all the multifaceted and powerful ways he moved through this world. That’s our goal with this film, and we couldn’t imagine a better home than Netflix, whose global reach matches his own.”
Basquiat became one of the most influential artists of the 1980s before his death in 1988 at age 27. His 1982 painting Untitled sold for a record $110.5 million in 2017. It was the highest price ever paid at auction for a work by an American artist and for any artwork created after 1980, according to Sotheby’s New York.
Nearly four decades later, the artist’s life continues to draw interest from Hollywood.
The Netflix doc is separate from Jean, the upcoming dramatic film Kid Cudi announced in October. As Urban Hollywood 411 previously reported, Cudi plans to write, direct and star as the artist in that project. Filming is scheduled to begin in 2027.
The authorized Netflix documentary begins streaming on Friday, Dec. 11.
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