2017
And so, we arrive at 2017 – which sees Idris Elba not only deliver four high profile studio-made theatrical releases, but also sees him play the lead role in two of them. While Nikolaj Arcel’s The Dark Tower is now, two months on, considered to have under-performed both financially and critically, it remains the case that Idris Elba brought to life one of the most iconic characters ever created by one of the most beloved authors of modern times. Stephen King’s prolific career as a writer of fiction has led to the creation of a narrative universe that is, broadly speaking, tied together by his Dark Tower series of novels – the hero of which is the last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain. This solitary figure works to save the universe from the nefarious intentions of the Man In Black – played in the film by Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey.
Idris Elba continues his 2017 theme of literary adaptation by playing the lead role in Hany Abu-Assad’s The Mountain Between Us – opposite Academy Award winner Kate Winslet. The film will see Elba portray a British neurosurgeon, against Winslet’s photo-journalist, and follows their struggle after the light aircraft in which they’re travelling on crashes in the middle of a snow-covered mountain range. Stranded in a location none of their loved ones were made aware of, the two strangers must work together to survive.
Following the release of The Mountain Between Us, Idris Elba will be seen reprising the character of Heimdall in the highly anticipated Thor: Ragnarok. While it’s unclear how prominently Heimdall will feature in this third Thor instalment, it’s the case that the bi-frost sentry has appeared in much of the marketing build-up for the film, including many pieces of promotional artwork. This will, in fact, be Idris Elba’s fourth appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’ll be his first such appearance under the direction of a filmmaker noted for comedy – Taika Waititi – so it remains to be seen whether Thor: Ragnarok will afford Idris Elba the chance to engage his well-proven comedic skills, amid the inevitable action.
The end of the year will see yet another literary-based turn for Elba, in the Aaron Sorkin film Molly’s Game. Based on the book by Molly Bloom, the story follows the exploits of the titular Olympic skier, who also ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game – making her a target of the FBI. Idris Elba plays her lawyer, Charlie Jaffey. The draw here is the prospect of Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba sparring over pages of dialogue written by the award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, in a female-led drama.