Idris Elba to star in Apple TV+ spy romance
David Farnor | On 18, Aug 2020
Idris Elba will star in a new spy film for Apple TV+.
Little is known about the thriller, other than it combines espionage and romance and it is set in Africa. Nonetheless, its captured attention, thanks to Elba’s attachment and a script from Black Monday’s Emmy winner Travon Free, and sparked a bidding war between Hollywood players.
Apple has emerged on top of that auction, bagging the movie for its subscription service, Apple TV+. The deal comes as Apple looks to firm up its film credentials – it comes hot on the heels of first-look deals with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s production banners, the release of Tom Hanks’ Greyhound, and the acquisition of new films from Jake Gyllenhaal, Werner Herzog and Justin Timberlake.
Elba is no stranger to Apple and has a first-look deal with the online giant through his Green Door shingle. Elba will produce the film as well as star in it, alongside Genre Films’ Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon. Genre Films is no stranger to streaming either, with heist flick Here Comes the Flood next on its dance card for Netflix. Kinberg is also working on a tentpole sci-fi series for Apple TV+ that Apple remains very secretive about.