Mac Miller Balloonerism: Family speaks of heartbreak over drugs death 'we are left to imagine where Malcolm was going and to appreciate where he was'

Mac Miller's estate is releasing an animated short film in cinemas to accompany the late star's upcoming posthumous album 'Balloonerism'.

On Friday (17.01.25), the rapper's second posthumous album will arrive, with a rare appearance from his alter-ego Delusional Thomas on the track 'Transformations', while SZA features on ‘DJ’s Chord Organ’.

And it has now been revealed that a film of the same - which is helmed by Samuel Jerome Mason - will screen in cinemas across the world ahead of the LP's release.

The animation “follows a group of school friends who are transfigured by the music of a chord organ and launched into a shadow.

“Swallowed by the turtle of time, they must plod through the underbelly of adulthood.”

For one night only, on Wednesday (15.01.25), it will show in the US, with further screenings planned in cities including London, Dublin, Paris, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, and Toronto on Thursday (16.01.25).

Tickets will cost $5 in the US to reflect the previously released lead single, '5 Dollar Pony Rides', and a similar amount in the other countries.

To grab tickets head to https://www.balloonerism.film/.

The official tracklisting for the lost album, which was "created around the same time" as Mac’s 2014 mixtape ‘Faces’, was unveiled by his family last week.

The release was teased in a trailer that aired during Tyler, the Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles in November.

In between Sampha and Alchemist and Friends’ sets, a two-and-a-half-minute clip was shown with the album cover and a message reading "soon".

A painting of Mac – who tragically died at the age of 26 of an accidental overdose in 2018 – by artist Alim Smith was shown alongside a series of visuals.

His family previously shared his album ‘Circles’ in 2020, which was intended to be a companion record to his last studio album, 2018’s ‘Swimming’.

At the time, they admitted that deciding to release the work had been a tough decision.

They explained in a post on his Instagram page: "This is a complicated process that has no right answer. No clear path. We simply know that it was important to Malcolm for the world to hear it. One of the most difficult decisions in the process is how best to let people know about it - how to communicate meaningfully while keeping sacred what should be kept sacred. So this will be the only post on any of his channels. Information regarding this release, his charity, and Malcolm himself will be found at @92tilinfinity.

"Thank you to all the fans who've supported him unconditionally through the years. We miss him. We are left to imagine where Malcolm was going and to appreciate where he was. We hope you take the time to listen. The look on his face when everyone was listening said it all.

"With humility and gratitude. Malcolm's family (sic)"

Alongside his music work, Mac Miller was well known for dating pop star and actress Ariana Grande.