Netflix Picks Up Idris Elba’s African War Drama ‘Beasts of No Nation’ for $12 Million

Idris Elba in ‘Beasts of No Nation'(2015)

Netflix has bought worldwide rights to the Cary Fukunaga -directed African war drama Beasts of No Nation , starring Idris Elba .

For $12 million, the media distributor acquired control the film’s global streaming service and theatrical release.

However, it appears that major theater chains (AMC, Regal, Cinemark and Carmike) are refusing to show the film because it will debut simultaneously for streaming, instead of the standard 90-day delay.

Netflix is reportedly seeking a strong Oscar push for the $6 million Participant Media and Red Crown-produced feature, shot last year in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Based on the bestselling novel by Uzodinma Iweala , Beasts of No Nation follows the journey of a boy who is forced to join a group of soldiers in an unnamed West African country.

The film’s script was written by Fukunaga ( True Detective / Sin Nombre ), who also produced along with Amy Kaufman, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker and Dan Crown .

It was executive produced by Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King for Participant along with documentary filmmaker Bill Benenson and Laura Bickford .

The Netflix deal was brokered by WME Global with Loeb and Loeb.

Beasts of No Nation also stars Ama K. Abebrese, Grace Nortey , David Dontoh , and Opeyemi Fagbohungbe .

[via variety.com ]

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