Idris Elba to Lead Thriller BASTILLE DAY

LUTHER's Idris Elba is heading to the big screen in Vendome Pictures and Anonymous Content's upcoming thriller BASTILLE DAY, according to Variety.

BASTILLE DAY, written by Andrew Baldwin, "revolves around a U.S. operative who is tasked with interrogating and eventually making a young American boy "disappear" in order to avoid embarrassment to the U.S. government after the boy is linked as the prime suspect to an attack on the Paris metro.

After a several more attacks, the operative realizes the boy is innocent and also may be the only link to the person actually orchestrating the attacks."

No director is attached to the project at this time.

The film and TV star appeared Off-Broadway in 2001's TROILUS & CRESSIDA. He is perhaps best known for his role as the calculating de facto leader of a Baltimore drug empire in HBO's critically acclaimed original series "The Wire." In 2005, he received an Image Award nomination for his work on the series. Also for HBO, Elba starred in the movie "Sometimes In April," from director Raoul Peck. Set during the Rwandan genocide of 1994, the movie marked his first film starring role. Elba played a Hutu soldier who tries to save his Tutsi wife and family, earning another Image Award nomination for his performance.

Elba most recently starred in the "Daddy's Little Girls," with Gabrielle Union under the direction of Tyler Perry. He next stars in the horror thriller "28 Weeks Later," the much-anticipated sequel to the zombie hit "28 Days Later," which is due out in May 2007. Additionally, he recently completed production on Ridley Scott's "American Gangster," with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, and is currently filming the holiday comedy "This Christmas."

Elba's other film credits include "The Gospel," for director Rob Hardy; "Buffalo Soldiers," with Joaquin Phoenix and Ed Harris; and "Beautiful Mother," with Catherine Deneuve. He most recently appeared in "Pacific Rim."

On television, Elba has guest starred on such series as "Law & Order" and "CSI: Miami," and starred in the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries "Ultraviolet." In his native England, he starred in the recent Channel 4 telefilm "All in the Game," and earlier guest starred on a number of series, including the BBC's "Silent Witness" and "Dangerfield."

Photos by RD / Orchon / Retna Digital