Netflix’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ is Epic and Idris Elba Almost Died Making It

Idris Elba may just have proven his ability to play the role of James Bond to perfection based on the harrowing tale he shares about that one time he almost lost his life while filming his upcoming film Beasts of No Nation.

Elba, whose character is known as “the commandant” brutally oversees an army comprised of child soldiers as they battle the gruesome elements around them. Under the direction of director Cary Fukunaga whose portfolio of varied hits include, Jane Eyre (the one with Michael Fassbender)  and the first beloved season of HBO’s TV series, True Detective, the cast and crew were transported to the wildly primal territories in Ghana, and the conditions proved to be almost life-threatening to the leading actor.

During an interview with Variety – Elba recalls how he almost plunged 90-feet to his death while filming a climactic scene that required him to lean against a tree overlooking a waterfall. “I remember slipping and catching onto this big branch that was sticking up, and I literally was like, ‘Whoa’. “It was a moment where I was like, ‘This is the real deal’. “

Thankfully, the British actor survived his near-death experience which is awesome news for his fans that will get to see him tackle what is being hailed as his most definable role. The film is also an ambitious effort for Netflix as they lay down the foundation for a new venture into the movie business which was inevitable considering the surmountable success the streaming giant has enviably amassed of late.

Beasts is currently making the mandated rounds at film festivals including Venice and Telluride and will makes its debut Oct. 16 on Netflix, and considering this is the first feature film for the media powerhouse – all hands are on deck to ensure there will be many more to come. There will definitely be a massive campaign initiated as awards season approaches which will be a critical mission considering the film won’t have the advantage of occupying the spaces at the dominant movie houses like AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas.

It will instead be regulated to the venues that host mostly independent artsy fare.

The imminent success of Beasts will be the ultimate game-changer in the ever-evolving world of show-business and will hopefully catapult Elba into the level of recognition that he undisputedly deserves.