Friday, 07 May 2021 20:00

Idris Elba To Star In Christmas-y Action Flick From 'Extraction' Director

Written by Sebastian Peris
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After playing Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad, Idris Elba teams up with Extraction director Sam Hargrave for a Christmas action film.

Right now, audiences are looking forward to seeing Idris Elba bring DC villain Bloodsport to life in Warner Bros. and DC's The Suicide Squad. Of course, the acclaimed actor has multiple projects coming after his first venture in the DC Extended Universe, including a Christmas-themed action film from Extraction director Sam Hargrave.

The project will hardly be Elba's first foray into the action genre, as his resume includes a list of blockbusters such as Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim and more than one Marvel Cinematic Universe project. More recently, Elba portrayed the cyber-genetically enhanced villain Brixton Lore in Hobbs and Shaw, the first spin-off in the Fast and Furious franchise.

RELATED: James Gunn Wrote Suicide Squad's Bloodsport Specifically for Idris Elba

Deadline has learned Elba joins the new Hargrave project, titled Stay Frosty, to portray a man who miraculously survives a bullet to the head. Now having to figure who wants him dead and for what reason, Elba's character must stop the would-be assassin all while trying to make it back home in time to spend Christmas with his son. Warner Bros. executive Peter Dodd reportedly played a substantial role in bringing Stay Frosty to the studio, which will pay north of $1 million for the script penned by Tyler Marceca. The studio won a wild spec auction for Marceca's screenplay against low-seven figures.

Deadline also notes that Stay Frosty is a possible franchise play for Elba in the vein of Keanu Reeves' John Wick films. The outlet also describes the project as a throwback to classic '80s action films set during Christmas, such as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. Elba and Hargrave will produce the film alongside Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment.

Hargrave's Extraction marked his feature film directorial debut after a career that included stuntwork on Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, which led to him taking up second unit directing duties on Avengers: Infinity War. Released on Netflix in 2020, Extraction starred Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, former SASR operator turned black-ops mercenary who is tasked with rescuing the son of an imprisoned international crime lord. Extraction was such a hit for Netflix that writer Joe Russo was tapped to pen the screenplay for a sequel, with Hemsworth and Hargrave expected to return.

The prospect of another action film set during the holiday season could be welcomed news for audiences, who may be growing tired of the yearly debate over whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Of course, there's always a chance Stay Frosty itself could become subject to a similar debate if there aren't enough Christmas elements in the film, but only time will tell.

Stay Frosty is currently in development.

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Source: Deadline

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