Idris Elba has officially started principal photography on his directorial debut Yardie.
The news was announced this morning by StudioCanal, confirming that Elba has begun work on the feature adaptation of Victor Headley’s cult novel of the same name. Aml Ameen (The Maze Runner, The Butler) starring in the lead role as ‘D’. Yardie will shoot on location in London and Jamaica for seven weeks.
Additionally, Stephen Graham (the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, This Is England, Little Boy Blue) will play the role of Rico, while Idris Elba will star as Piper. The film will introduce exciting new Jamaican talent including Shantol Jackson as Yvonne, Sheldon Shepherd as King Fox and Everaldo Creary as Jerry Dread.
Idris Elba commented: “I am interested in making human stories with characters that are either, full of grace or flawed. In Yardie the audience will see a film that hopefully means something to the people. I’m honoured to able to shoot it in my home town of London and as a guest in Jamaica.”
Yardie follows the story of a young Jamaican named ‘D’ (Ameen) who, on arriving in early 1980s London, unexpectedly finds the young man who assassinated his revered brother back in Jamaica ten years before. His quest for justice explodes into a violent street war that could end up killing him and his loved ones.
Yardie has been adapted for the screen by Brock Norman Brock (Bronson) and Martin Stellman (Babylon, Queen and Country). It is produced for Warp Films by Robin Gutch (’71, Hunger) and Gina Carter (Heartlands, Dead In A Week, Snow Cake).
Take a look at the first look image from the set above.
