Films and Series About the Murder Case: Unsolved, City of Lies, Who Killed Tupac?

For over two decades, the murder of Tupac officially remained unsolved. Documentaries, series, and feature films stepped into this void-often staged so effectively that viewers can scarcely distinguish what is documented, what is suspected, and what is entirely invented.

This page contextualizes the most important productions. It does not replace a look at the facts: the course of the case is explained on the pages Investigations and Trial of Duane Davis 2026.

Unsolved: Two Investigators, Ten Episodes, and Invented Dialogue

In May 2017, the US network USA Network ordered the ten-part drama series Unsolved (full title: Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.); it began airing on television on February 27, 2018. Anthony Hemingway directed the pilot, and producer Kyle Long wrote the script. Greg Kading joined as a co-producer: he had worked on both murder cases as an investigator for the Los Angeles Police Department and authored the book Murder Rap.

The series recounts two parallel investigations: the later one by Greg Kading (Josh Duhamel) and the earlier one by Russell Poole (Jimmi Simpson). Marcc Rose plays Tupac, Wavyy Jonez portrays Biggie, and Lahmard Tate portrays the later witness Duane “Keffe D” Davis. Critical reception was mostly favorable: Rotten Tomatoes recorded 73 percent approval, Metacritic 67 out of 100 points, and Complex considered the format better than expected. Crucial for context: it is a dramatized version with invented dialogue.

City of Lies: Poole’s Unproven Theory in Theaters

Brad Furman’s crime film City of Lies is based on the book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan. Johnny Depp stars as retired LAPD detective Russell Poole, and Forest Whitaker plays a journalist. The film primarily deals with the murder of Biggie; Tupac’s case remains a subplot. At its center is Poole’s theory that Death Row head Suge Knight paid corrupt police officers to have Biggie killed. That is a theory that was never proven.

Filming took place in 2018, but the path to theaters was delayed: the US theatrical release originally scheduled for September 7, 2018, was canceled in August 2018 after distributor Global Road Entertainment was shut down. Following a festival premiere in Italy in December 2018, Saban Films finally brought the film to US theaters in March 2021. Reviews were mixed.

Who Killed Tupac?: Witnesses on Camera Are Not Evidence

Beginning November 21, 2017, the television network A&E broadcast the six-part series Who Killed Tupac?. According to IMDb, the series reopens the investigation under the lead of civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. The format gathers statements from witnesses and investigators. As with all television productions of this kind: statements are statements, not evidence.

No independent evaluation of this series’ source material and quality is available to date; it is therefore only mentioned here, not evaluated.

Other Productions: From Confession to Speculation

• Murder Rap (2015): Documentary based on the book by Greg Kading; contains the statement by Keffe D that played a role in the 2026 trial.
• Biggie & Tupac (2002): Nick Broomfield’s documentary, entertaining but speculative.
• Tupac Assassination (from 2007): Documentary series with witnesses and a sharply pointed thesis.
• Death Row Chronicles (BET, from February 2018): Series about the label in which Davis commented on the crime; background at Death Row Records.

What the Trial Confirmed: Kading’s Lead Prevails

On August 31, 2026, a jury in Las Vegas found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Tupac Shakur (as of October 2026, not final, sentencing scheduled for October 13, 2026). The prosecution had described him as the leader of the Southside Compton Crips who obtained the weapon and passed it along inside the car.

With that, the line followed by Kading and Murder Rap was legally confirmed. The theories placing Suge Knight or Sean Combs at the center played no role in the trial; neither was charged.

The films show how a story grows: rumors turn into a series, a statement in a documentary becomes evidence. Anyone watching them should know which version they have before them.