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, reports Deadline.com.
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.
Fukunaga has helmed “Jane Eyre” and “Sin Nombre” and is currently directing the HBO series “True Detective.”
Elba will next be seen reprising his title role in a new season of “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.
“We fell in love with Iweala’s powerful narrative and Idris and Cary are a tremendous pairing,” said Red Crown Productions partner Lundberg.
Said Fukunaga: “This project has been seven years in the making, so to say I’m excited to start shooting this — and with Idris Elba as lead — would be me trying to play it cool. Red Crown has real moxie standing behind this story.”
Both Elba and Fukunaga are repped by WME and managed by Anonymous Content. Elba is also with Headshell Management and Roger Charteris at UK-based Ken McReddie. Fred Toczek is his attorney while Fukunaga’s attorney is Michael Adler.
Iweala is a Nigerian-American, Harvard-educated author. He had also gone to Lincoln High School in Tacoma WA, during his teenage years. While the book does not give any direct clue as to which country it takes place in, there are several details which suggest it is in Nigeria.
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