IDRIS ELBA will be returning to our screens, starring in the new indie alternative movie Concrete Cowboys.
The Brit actor will appear alongside rising stars Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) and Jharrel Jerome, who is currently up for an Emmy for his outstanding portrayal of Korey Wise in the Netflix four-part series When They See Us.
Deadline confirmed McLaughlin will play a teen who’s taken to live with his estranged father (Elba) in North Philadelphia. He discovers the city’s urban cowboy subculture, which flourishes despite the surrounding poverty, violence, and encroachment of gentrification.
The film will be directed by Ricky Staub and is inspired by Greg Neri’s award-winning novel Ghetto Cowboy, as well as the real-life Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. The screenplay is written by Staub and Dan Walser and Elba will produce under his Green Door Pictures banner. The film will be financed by Tucker Tooley Entertainment.
Speaking to Variety, Elba said: “Ricky and Dan’s brilliant script combines the energy and grit of an urban movie with the poetry and romance of the urban cowboy way of life.”
When Staub was asked why Ekba was chosen for the role, he said: “Idris had expressed a desire to be involved in projects uplifting to the African American community, and my agent was part of that meeting where he said that. So he pitched the project to Idris, who said he wanted to talk. That was in May or June.”
“Idris and I spoke on the phone for an hour and a half and hashed it out, and we went from there. We spent a weekend with his execs in Philly, we took them to the barbecue. We wanted them to really understand the story and the heart of it and why it’s important to the city and to these riders.”
“Idris has a huge heart in wanting to uplift new voices and to make an impact on the community. His heart seems to be so profoundly aligned with mine.”