Idris Elba’s new film, Beasts Of No Nation, has been snapped up by Netflix.

The Luther star plays Commandant, a warlord who takes a child soldier under his wing, in Cary Fukunaga’s big-screen adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala’s novel.

Cary Fukunaga
Cary Fukunaga wrote and directed Beasts Of No Nation (Richard Shotwell/Invision)

Newcomer Abraham Attah portrays the young fighter, who is torn from his family and is forced into the military conflict of a west African country in the war drama.

Beasts Of No Nation, which is written and directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Cary and shot in Ghana, will debut later this year worldwide on the streaming site.

According to Variety, Netflix paid nearly 12 million US dollars (over £7.8 million) for the rights.

(Red Crown Productions)
(Red Crown Productions)

Producer Daniela Taplin Lundberg from Red Crown Productions said: “Making this film has been one of the most profound professional experiences of our careers. To know that this harrowing and beautiful movie is going to reach more than 50 million people within Netflix’s reach is beyond our wildest dreams.”

Ted Sarandos from Netflix added: “Beasts Of No Nation is a powerful film that unfolds beautifully in the hands of director Cary Fukunaga with Idris Elba delivering a career-defining performance. We are so proud to bring a film of this calibre exclusively to Netflix members around the world at the same time as it appears in select theatres.”