The Weeknd glammed up in a sleek black leather jacket and matching shades while filming a mystery project in downtown Los Angeles this week.

He hopped into the driver's seat of a gleaming car and was filmed breaking into his unmistakable dashing smile.

At present it is unknown whether the 32-year-old was shooting a music video or one of the various other screen gigs he has in the pipeline.

On February 25 the singing star, whose Christian name is Abel Tesfaye, will mark the release of his HBO concert special The Weeknd: Live At Sofi Stadium.

An evocative trailer dropped this week, offering up a few tantalizingly brief clips of The Weeknd performing onstage at the Inglewood venue.

A claque of backup performers were seen whirling through their choreography while dressed in scarlet robes that covered their faces. 

The special was filmed in November as The Weeknd wrapped up the US leg of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour in aid of his latest albums After Hours and Dawn FM.

He previously played the SoFi Stadium in September but had to abruptly cut his concert short after just 18 minutes when he lost his voice.

In November he returned to the venue for a two-show engagement, joking with the audience that they were 'back at the scene of the crime.'

His tour will whisk him off to Europe in June, thundering through cities ranging from Lisbon and Paris to Warsaw and Tallinn.

In the autumn he will take the show to Latin America, playing Mexico City, Bogotá, Rio De Janeiro, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago. 

The Weeknd is also gearing up for the release of his upcoming HBO miniseries The Idol, which he co-created alongside former nightlife entrepreneur Reza Fahim as well as Sam Levinson, the writer behind Euphoria. 

With a cast that includes Lily-Rose Depp, the show follows a pop star who falls for a cult-leading nightclub owner, according to Deadline.

Schitt's Creek actor Dan Levy, The Simpsons icon Hank Azaria, pop act Troye Sivan and Inglourious Basterds beefcake Eli Roth are all in The Idol.

Anne Heche also plays a supporting role, in what will be her final TV appearance after her fiery car crash death last August.

Although a teaser for The Idol was released last July, an exact premiere date has yet to be officially announced by HBO.

Plugging the show in a recent issue of Elle, Lily-Rose said: 'I’m not interested in making anything puritanical. I’m not interested in making anything that doesn’t challenge me, or challenge other people, honestly.' 

She teased: 'I think this show is fearless, and that’s something that I’ve been really excited and proud to dive into. I can’t wait for you guys to see it.'