Trailer Talk: Netflix’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ Stars Idris Elba as a Scary Warlord

Netflix has released the trailer and poster for Cary Fukunaga’s “Beasts of No Nation.” The powerful new Netflix film starring Idris Elba has gotten some great buzz from its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and it’s set to screen at the Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, and London Film Festival.

Written and directed by Emmy Award winner Cary Fukunaga (“True Detective,” “Sin Nombre“) and starring Golden Globe winner Idris Elba (“Luther,” “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and one of my favorite shows, “The Wire“), “Beasts of No Nation” debuts Friday, October 16, 2015, the same day in Landmark theaters in the U.S. and worldwide on Netflix in all territories where the streaming network is available.

Based on the novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, “Beasts of No Nation” tells the gripping tale of Agu, a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country. Newcomer Abraham Attah gives an amazing portrayal of Agu, while Elba dominates the screen in the role of Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of war.

Idris Elba is one of my favorite actors working right now, thanks in part to his portrayal of the chillingly charismatic drug lord Russell “Stringer” Bell on HBO’s “The Wire.” His performance as Nelson Mandela in The Weinstein Company biopic “Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom” earned him a Golden Globe and NAACP Image Award nominations.

He recently completed production on “A Hundred Streets,” which he’s also producing, as well as James Watkin’s “Bastille Day” and Jon Favreau’s “The Jungle Book.” He’s also currently in production on the final installment of the BBC series “Luther,” which will appear as two, two-hour episodes.

Are you impatiently waiting for “Beasts of No Nation”? Or does it look too intense for you? I’m leaning towards the latter.