Jordan Firstman, the comedy multi-hyphenate whose surrealist humor and pointed cultural commentary have earned him a devoted LGBTQ+ following, is stepping behind the camera for the first time. Topic Studios announced that production is wrapping on Club Kid, Firstman’s feature directorial debut, which he also wrote and stars in. The New York–set film marks another ambitious addition to the studio’s slate and continues Firstman’s evolution from viral creator to one of queer Hollywood’s most distinctive voices.
Club Kid follows a washed-up underground party promoter whose life is upended after discovering he has a son he never knew existed. Shot on 35mm and set against New York City’s nightlife landscape, the film blends personal reinvention, queer-adjacent subculture and the kind of chaotic, emotionally sharp storytelling that has become Firstman’s signature.
Joining Firstman in the cast are Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, and newcomers Reggie Absolom and Eldar Isgandarov. Delevingne, long celebrated for her contributions to fashion, film and queer visibility, continues her streak of genre-spanning roles following performances in American Horror Story, Carnival Row, and her breakout turn in Paper Towns. Calva, a Golden Globe nominee for Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, adds further star power to the ensemble.
The project is produced by recent Academy Award winner Alex Coco and Galen Core, alongside Topic Studios, which is also financing the film. Stay Gold has joined as a co-financier. Executive producers include Firstman, Olmo Schnabel and Daniela Taplin Lundberg. Cinematographer Adam Newport Berra, fresh off an Emmy win, lenses the film. UTA Independent Film Group negotiated the financing and will oversee worldwide sales.
For Firstman, the film builds on a creative trajectory that has included HBO’s I Love LA, FX’s English Teacher, acclaimed festival shorts and his comedy concept album Secrets, released through Capitol Records. His breakout performance in Sebastián Silva’s Rotting in the Sun earned major critical praise and established him as a fearless performer and filmmaker unafraid to push boundaries.
Club Kid also serves as a spotlight for rising performers. Absolom, known for roles in Apple TV’s Silo and BBC’s The Other Bennet Sister, and Isgandarov, who recently completed a supporting role in an upcoming A24 musical comedy, both make major feature turns.
Topic Studios, the company behind Oscar-winning A Real Pain and the documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, continues its reputation for supporting bold storytellers. The studio has garnered more than 40 major award nominations across film and television and is known for backing projects that center unconventional voices, a natural fit for Firstman’s singular sensibility.
With production nearly complete, Club Kid positions Firstman for his biggest leap yet: from internet-famous comedian to filmmaker shaping the next wave of queer-inflected cinema. No release date has been announced, but anticipation is already building.
