Idrissa Akuna Elba, also known as Idris Elba OBE, is an English actor who gained notoriety in the United States after playing Stringer Bell in HBO’s The Wire. Afterwards, he went on to star in a variety of popular shows and movies, including as the BBC miniseries Luther, for which he received multiple nominations for Golden Globe Primetime Emmy Awards. Elba has played a number of parts throughout the course of his 20-year career in the profession that have established his merit as a leading man.
Elba rose to fame after his time on The Wire. This simply resulted in more opportunities opening up for him, greatly expanding his filmography and filling up his schedule. He made appearances on programmes like The Office and The Big C. Having said that, not every movie he’s ever been in will be a success. Here is a list of the top Idris Elba motion pictures.
American Gangster
American Gangster, which is based on a true event, depicts the tale of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a drug dealer from Harlem who starts smuggling cocaine from abroad in the caskets of American troops who were killed in Vietnam. Richie Roberts, a police officer, is determined to bring down Frank as he ascends the power structure. Elba portrays Tango, a competing drug dealer who works the streets with Frank. Elba gave the performance his best despite Tango’s untimely death in the movie.
Beasts of No Nation
Beasts of No Nation would be necessary to complete Elba’s extensive filmography. Beasts of No Nation centres on the African civil war and chronicles Agu’s life after being enlisted as a child soldier by a guerilla army. Despite the film’s challenging subject matter, it is worth seeing just to witness Idris Elba portray the cunning Commandant in charge of the guerillas. The amount of attention given to Beasts of No Nation is way too little. For his work, Elba received numerous nominations, including a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Nelson Mandela, a former president of South Africa, is the subject of the biopic Mandela: Long Road to Freedom. The movie covers every aspect of Mandela’s life, starting with his early years and ending with his 27 years in prison. Elba is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his portrayal of an older Nelson Mandela. Films like these frequently go unnoticed because of Elba’s more well-known blockbuster, but Mandela: Long Road to Freedom demonstrates that he is a capable actor who excels outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Molly’s Game
Molly’s Game, which is based on the real-life events of Molly Bloom, follows the former Olympian skier as she gets ready for the most lucrative high stakes poker game ever. After being detained by the FBI, Molly seeks the assistance of her solicitor Charlie Jaffey to help her avoid further difficulty. Elba plays the role of Charlie, and he received a lot of accolades for it. He really ought to have been nominated for an Oscar. Elba’s skills were effectively exploited thanks to the smart direction from Aaron Sorkin, especially when Charlie is defending Molly in court and revealing the unfairness in how Molly’s case is being handled.
Star Trek Beyond
The crew of the Enterprise is attacked in space by Krall, a reptile creature that wants to take a precious item from the ship, and they crash-land on an uncharted world as a result. Star Trek Beyond is a part of the revived Star Trek franchise. Without dying on the hazardous planet they have just landed on, the crew must figure out how to withstand the lethal alien onslaught. Elba portrays Krall, the lizard-like antagonist who literally saps his victims’ life essence to maintain his own existence. Many people might not even be aware that Elba is the person behind the mask due to the SFX makeup, yet he still proves to be a terrifying antagonist in this sci-fi movie.
The Harder They Fall
The Harder They Fall, a contemporary spin on the classic Western with an all-Black cast, following Nat Love after he learns that his adversary Rufus Buck has been sprung from prison by his gang. With the aid of Stagecoach Mary, Bill Pickett, and a surpising ally in Jim Beckwourth, he pursues retribution against Buck. Elba plays Rufus Buck, a legendary cowboy who isn’t scared to kill. Elba, who co-starred in The Harder They Fall with Regina King and Jonathan Majors, put the “bad” in “bad guy.”
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book, a live-action version of the Disney animated classic, benefits once more from Elba’s recognisable voice. Mowgli, a small kid who was raised by wolves and is forced to return to his human community, encounters a slew of creatures along the journey with Bagheera the panther. This is the story of Mowgli. Shere Khan, the murderous tiger who hunts Mowgli down for a tasty meal, is voiced by Elba. Elba effectively captures the nasty persona with just his voice, recalling the original character performed by George Sanders.
The Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, which should not be confused with the 2016 film of the same name, follows the titular group as they are charged with a search-and-destroy mission on Corto Maltese. Supervillains struggle to complete their purpose since they all want for freedom. Elba portrays Bloodsport, also known as Robert DuBois, a high-tech-suited mercenary in the movie. He joins Task Force X in an effort to minimise his sentence after being found guilty of using a kryptonite bullet to kill Superman.
Thor Franchise
Thor was the first in a long line of movies that made up the MCU. The story follows Thor, the son of the Norse gods’ king, as he prepares to succeed his father to the throne of Asgard. However, on the day of his coronation, trouble arises when enemies arrive, and after Thor’s horrifying reaction, Odin banishes him to Earth while Loki causes some trouble while Thor is away. Elba portrays Heimdall, the Asgardian sentinel who guards the bifrost bridge. When some objected to Elba’s selection for the role due to his racist views, the actor had the proper answer in calling them “stupid” (via THR). Elba went on to play the same character in a number of more MCU movies.
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Three Thousand Years of Longing is the most recent title on this list. Dr. Alithea Binnie meets a djinn while on business in Istanbul, and in exchange for granting him freedom, he grants her three wishes. Alithea is dubious at first, but as the djinn makes his case, she begins to believe him and ultimately grants him a startling desire. The seductive djinn who Alithea lets out of a bottle is portrayed by Elba. Three Thousand Years of Longing received a six-minute standing ovation at its Cannes debut, despite the movie’s dismal box office results.
Zootopia
Rabbit Judy Hopps is assigned to work in the big metropolis after graduating from the police academy in the well-known Disney movie Zootopia. Judy is determined to prove herself and does it with the aid of a cunning fox along the way, despite her challenges with others not taking her seriously as a bunny of the law. Elba portrays the iconic Chief Bogo, an ox that serves as Zootopia’s police chief and Judy’s employer, using his voice and accent. Chief Bogo dislikes Judy at first but grows fond of her when she performs admirably as a police officer.
