Netflix chases awards glory with new Idris Elba movie
Oscar season has only just come to a close, but already Netflix is eyeing up a potential candidate for next year's run. Deadline reports that the streaming service has got its hands on Beasts Of No Nation, a film led by True Detective director Cary Fukunaga that stars Luther (and Pacific Rim) actor Idris Elba. Based on the novel by Uzodinma Iweala, Beasts Of No Nation is an African war drama that focused on the experiences of a child soldier fighting under the command of guerilla warlord, who systematically strips the boy of his humanity.
Netflix dug deep to secure the movie and reportedly outbid studios in a $12 million deal. It shows how serious the company is about dominating the movie business, after it paid around $18 million to acquire Jadotville, a war thriller starring Fifty Shades of Grey's Jamie Dornan. On top of that, Netflix has already begun work on the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and teamed up with Adam Sandler for four new original movies.
For Netflix to be eligible for an Academy Award, its movies need to be shown in theaters before they make their debut online. The streaming service hasn't yet confirmed if that will be the case for Beasts, but Deadline's sources suggest the company will make a "vigorous push in Oscar season" as it hopes to emulate the success of its original TV shows.
