Idris Elba to star in/produce ‘Beasts Of No Nation’

Posted by | Cyrena Rose

Deadline is reporting that Golden Globe winning actor Idris Elba is hitting his stride…

Elba reprises his title role in a new season of Neil Cross’s celebrated detective series Luther, which premieres on BBC America in September, and he plays Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, which The Weinstein Company releases in November.  He’s coming off the Guillermo del Toro-directed Pacific Rim, which is approaching the $400 million mark in worldwide gross.

Now, Red Crown Productions has set Idris Elba to star and Cary Fukunaga to direct Beasts of No Nation, an adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala’s bestselling novel.

The story follows the journey of a young boy, Agu, who, when civil war engulfs his West African country is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters.  Not only must Agu face the death of his father and disappearance of his mother and sister, but must also join a life of violence and brutality.  Agu befriends a mute boy named Strika and together they face the crimes and hardships of war.  Elba will play the lead role of Commander and he will serve in a producing capacity as well.

Red Crown is happy to be working with Elba and feel that “Idris and Cary are a tremendous pairing.”

IM Global is taking the project to the Toronto International Film Festival for international sales.

The project is seven years in the making – stay tuned RC fans!