Idris Elba Joins Forces With Filmmakers on West African Action Film Projects

Idris Elba’s production company, 22Summers, is spearheading a bold new era of West African cinema. The actor and entrepreneur is joining forces with filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung and Moses Babatope of Nile Media Entertainment Group to develop a slate of action films.

The partnership comes as African storytelling continues to gain international momentum. The immense success of the South African series The Polygamist has made it clear that the world is hungry for untold narratives.

Production on the first film is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, followed by the second project in early 2027.

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Action Xtreme’s Success 

Cheung is set to direct the first film and produce for Action Xtreme. Babatope will produce for Nile Motion Picture. Nile Entertainment will head African distribution of the film. This comes after Cheung directed Son of the Soil, a Nigerian action thriller, written by British-Nigerian actor Razaaq Adoti. Distributed by Netflix in 2025, the film achieved significant acclaim across several international and African film festivals. It won Best Film, Best Director, and Best International Showcase at the Black Star International Film Festival 2025, among other awards. 

“Making Son of the Soil in Nigeria was an extraordinary experience, and it made me appreciate the incredible depth of talent, stories, and creative energy within Africa that deserves a global stage,” Cheung said. “What we are building with this collaboration is not just a slate of films, but a sustainable ecosystem where African action cinema can thrive. By combining local talent with international production expertise, we want to create commercially exciting films that travel worldwide while remaining authentically rooted in Africa.”

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22Summers Led by Idris Elba and Gina Carter 

As part of the collaboration, Elba will produce one of the films. He and Gina Carter have also been named as the executive producers of the project. Carter and Elba, along with Diene Petterle, are the founders of 22Summers. Together they have made several projects, including Elba’s directorial debut Yardie, and the upcoming thriller films Bola and Above the Below. 

“The journey continues; strengthening the African film industry is about collaboration and shared perspectives,” said Elba. “I am fortunate to have these partners (Action Xtreme and Nile) and aim to have global success with this slate.”

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African Stories to the World 

International production companies have scaled back on original African content acquisitions in recent years. This partnership signals a different approach: local producers are partnering with critically acclaimed companies to fill the gap themselves. Babatope’s Nile Entertainment group is positioning itself as a driver for African-led production and distribution. 

“This partnership represents a significant step in our vision of building globally competitive African cinema,” Babatope said. “Action is one of the world’s most commercially powerful genres, yet Africa remains largely underrepresented in that space despite the incredible stories, talent, and creative energy that exist across the continent.”

The timing of the partnership is in line with a broader shift. The success of the South African series The Polygamist demonstrates a global appetite for African stories. With backing from Elba, Cheung and Babatope, this upcoming slate of West African action films is certain to have us glued to our TV screens. 

Main Image: Actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Idris Elba: Source: Harald Krichel