Idris Elba will star, produce, and direct the action-thriller Infernus, set to go into production on October 9th in London. Millennium Media will produce the film and will shop it at next week’s Cannes market.
READ: 20 and Counting Movies and Shows Affected By WGA Strike
Elba will play Donovan Kamara, a U.N. human rights activist sent to investigate reports of refugees being illegally detained inside a U.S. black site prison. However, things quickly turn deadly when the most dangerous inmates in the world break free. Kamara must work to safely extricate the refugees, all while going head-to-head with a brilliant criminal mastermind.
The film is based on a story by Tom Boyle, with a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen. The majority of the filming will take place in London, while additional principal photography will occur at the new TD Akuna Studios in Ghana. Elba and his partners Tony Tagoe and Danny Damah developed the venture to help build the region’s film industry.
Elba is set to produce under his banner of Green Door Pictures, along with Millennium Media’s Jeffrey Greenstein, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, and Yariv Lerner, Sprout Pictures’ Gina Carter, and Archery Pictures’ Kris Thykier. Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, and Tanner Mobley from Millennium are executive producers.
READ: 39 of the Best Netflix Original Movies to Watch Before Password Sharing is No More
Infernus marks Elba’s second film in the director’s chair, following 2018 feature Yardie, which premiered at Sundance. “I’m excited to be back in the director’s chair, partnering with Millennium Media. Infernus is a gripping thriller with a relevant and intimate human story at its core,” Elba said. “Thanks to the brilliant writing of Robert and Tom, we have some exceptional characters. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity both in front and behind the camera, filming across Europe, as well as bringing our production to Africa, which has an emerging film community that we are proud to be supporting.”
Jeffrey Greenstein, President at Millennium Media, added, “It’s with great pleasure that we have the opportunity to create an entertaining and action-packed film alongside Idris, who in addition to being incredibly talented, is such a genuine and profound individual. We look forward to delivering a high-octane popcorn film that has character and soul, as well as an underlying message about the call for higher standards for mankind.”
Elba is currently in production on Amazon’s Heads Of State with John Cena and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and will next be seen in Apple’s thriller series Hijack. Meanwhile, Millennium Media is producing a Hellboy reboot.
Message From the Founder (Me):
As a one-person team working hard to create quality content and celebrate the beauty and diversity of Black culture, I rely on the support of people like you. If you believe in what Blex Media stands for and enjoy the content I produce, please consider donating a cup of coffee. Your contribution helps me keep the site running will enable me to expand my team and improve Blex’s platform. Thank you for being a part of the Blex community!
-Sharifa