Debapriya Bhattacharya
Starting his career in the entertainment industry as a stage actor and DJ, Idrissa Akuna Elba started auditioning for television roles in his twenties. He gained recognition starring in ‘The Wire‘ in 2002, before bagging a recurring guest role in ‘The Office‘ and leading ‘Luther.’ At the same time, he established himself in Hollywood with films such as ‘Prometheus,’ ‘Pacific Rim,’ ‘The Dark Tower,’ and ‘Hobbs & Shaw.’ Idris earned critical acclaim for portraying Nelson Mandela in the biopic ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.’ He has also notably been part of both Marvel and DC movie franchises, playing the roles of Heimdall and Bloodsport, respectively. A voice actor in a number of animated projects, Idris has also established himself as a rapper and R&B singer. If you wish to dive into movies and shows featuring Idris Elba on Netflix, the following curated list will help you get started.
10. Cats (2019)
‘Cats’ is adapted from the eponymous 1981 West End musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which in turn is based on the poetry collection ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ by T. S. Eliot. The film marks the second feature musical directed by Tom Hooper, and follows a group of cats, known as Jellicles, who come together every year at the Jellicle Ball. At the congregation, they decide which one of them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and return to a new Jellicle life. Idris Elba stars as Macavity, a Jellicle who is a criminal and a con artist with the power to teleport. You can watch the film here.
9. Fixed (2025)
Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, ‘Fixed’ revolves around a pet dog, Bull, who discovers that he will be neutered the following morning. Getting together with other canines at the park, he hears harrowing tales of the process and starts to dread it. His friends, Rocco, a Boxer, Fetch, a Dachshund, and Lucky, a Jack Russell Terrier, all of whom have been neutered, convince Bull to have a wild final night before going through the knife. While he readily agrees, things soon start to get too wild and out of hand. Idris Elba lends his voice as Rocco, a self-assured British-accented boxer, in the adult animated comedy. View the film here.
8. American Gangster (2007)
Based on Mark Jacobson’s New York Magazine article, ‘The Return of Superfly,’ ‘American Gangster’ is a retelling of the life of Harlem mob boss Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington). He started his career as a chauffeur to one of New York’s most infamous mobsters, Bumpy Johnson. Following the latter’s death, Frank rose to power with the help of his wit and code for business, which he strictly enforced. In the movie, his activities draw the attention of veteran police officer Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), who sets out to investigate and bring Frank to Justice. Idris Elba stars in the film as Tango, a man who is killed by Frank in broad daylight for owing him money. You can stream the biographical crime drama directed by Ridley Scott on Netflix.
7. Pacific Rim (2023)
From the mind of Guillermo del Toro, ‘Pacific Rim’ is set in an apocalyptic Earth that often comes under attack from monstrous creatures known as Kaijus that rise from the sea. This leads to a war between them and the humans for the latter’s survival. To give humanity a fighting chance, the military develops a special kind of weapon, massive robots called Jaegars, which are designed to be controlled simultaneously by two pilots locked together in a neural bridge. However, as they prove to be not enough to defeat one relentless kaiju, humanity turns its hope to two unlikely heroes, a washed-up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) piloting an old, obsolete Jaeger. Idris Elba stars as Marshal Stacker Pentecost, a respected military leader dedicated to defending humanity from the Kaiju, who brings the heroes together. Watch the film on Netflix.
6. Concrete Cowboy (2021)
Based on the novel ‘Ghetto Cowboy’ by Greg Neri, Ricky Staub’s directorial ‘Concrete Cowboy’ is inspired by the real urban African-American horseriding culture of Philadelphia, specifically, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. The narrative follows Cole (Caleb McLaughlin), a 15-year-old living with his mother in Detroit, who is constantly getting in trouble at school. Frustrated, his mother drives him to North Philadelphia to stay with his estranged father, Harp (Idris Elba). Cole discovers the vibrant urban cowboy subculture that has existed in the region for more than a century. Despite the prevailing poverty, violence, and encroachment of gentrification, it provides the community with a safe haven and a shared purpose. Stream the Western drama here.
5. The Dark Tower (2017)
Inspired by Stephen King’s novel series of the same name, ‘The Dark Tower’ stars Idris Elba as Roland Deschain, a gunslinger who seeks to protect the titular tower from being toppled by the Man in Black, Walter O’Dim (Matthew McConaughey). With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, the two often face off against each other, and the world barely pulls through. Living in modern-day NewYork City, young Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) has visions of the tower and the fight over it. When he locates a high-tech portal, he gets teleported to Mid-World, the post-apocalyptic landscape. In time, he becomes an apprentice to Roland. You can watch the Nikolaj Arcel directorial here.
4. Turn Up Charlie (2019)
Created by Idris Elba and Gary Reich, ‘Turn Up Charlie’ centers around the titular character (Idris Elba), a struggling DJ and eternal bachelor. As he attempts to rebuild his music career, Charlie is forced to become a male nanny to Gabby (Frankie Hervey), the problem child of his relatively famous best friend. Wise beyond her years, Gabby likes to push the boundaries to gain the attention of her negligent, career-driven parents. However, it makes it difficult for Charlie to keep up with her. Binge the show on Netflix.
3. Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Based on Uzodinma Iweala’s novel of the same name, ‘Beasts of No Nation’ chronicles the journey of Agu (Abraham Attah), a young orphan who is forced to join a group of guerrilla soldiers under a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) of a fictional West African country. Agu’s childhood has been shattered by the civil war that rages on in Africa. Despite fearing the commander and many men around him, he finds himself conflicted between fascination and revulsion over the mechanisms of war. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, the film depicts the life of a child soldier in stark detail. You can watch it here.
2. The Harder They Fall (2021)
Marking the feature directorial debut of Jeymes Samuel, ‘The Harder They Fall’ revolves around Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), an outlaw who gets freed from captivity by his fearsome crew that includes “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield). When the news reaches his old enemy, Nat Love (Jonathan Majors), he brings together his gang to track Rufus down and settle scores from his childhood. Those riding with Nat include his former love, Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), his closest associates, hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast-drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler). Stream the new school Western here.
1. Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)
A continuation of the original crime thriller series by Neil Cross, ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ opens with London being terrorized by a gruesome serial killer (Andy Serkis) while the brilliant yet disgraced detective (Idris Elba) sits in prison. Haunted by his past failures and mocked by the psychopath roaming free and committing atrocities, Luther decides to break out of prison and bring the person to justice. You can watch Jamie Payne’s directorial on Netflix.
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