All Of The Best Idris Elba Thrillers Streaming Now
Idris Elba is undeniably one of our favorite performers. Part of what makes him an international treasure is his love of the genre. As one of the most booked and busy actors working today, it warms my cold little heart to see so much of his resume dedicated to horror, sci-fi, and thrillers. I take that to mean that on top of being talented, charismatic, and handsome, he is also a nerd like the rest of us.
This should be celebrated, so I have assembled a list of the most thrilling titles Elba has starred in that are currently streaming on any of the usual suspects. In an attempt at brevity, I have omitted Star Trek Beyond (it’s available on Apple TV+) and all of his superhero appearances. I am happy to report this list is still long, and I encourage you to cancel some plans and watch some of these while they are streaming.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu and Sling TV
Six months after the rage virus annihilated Great Britain, the US Army secures a small corner of London to aid the few remaining survivors. We don’t talk about how stacked this cast is nearly enough. Idris Elba’s General Stone is pretty much everything you would expect that character to be. However, because Elba is a gifted actor, it made it hard to not want him to survive anyway.
Beast (2022)
Where You Can Watch: Peacock
A father must fend off a massive lion to protect his two daughters during a trip to the Savanna. We all tuned in to see Elba fighting large cats while in dad mode. While the movie gave us that and then some, it’s also a surprisingly good survival flick. It also reminded the internet that Idris can churn out an amazing performance even in something that shouldn’t work on paper. He is an icon this way.
Extraction 2 (2023)
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
You cannot keep Tyler Rake’s team down, and they are back in action and ready for a new mission. Chris Hemsworth missed working with Idris outside the Marvel Universe so much that he recruited his friend for the second movie in his Netflix duology. While Idris’ cameo is too brief, it makes us want a third movie that gives him even more screen time.
The Gunman (2015)
Where You Can Watch: Tubi
A sniper kills the minister of mines of the Congo and goes into hiding only to return to the Congo to find himself being hunted by assassins. In all honesty, I was hoping Idris was the lead in this movie. While that is not the case, he still manages to make the journey worth it. Javier Bardem and Mark Rylance also help ground this messy movie.
Hijack (2023)
Where You Can Watch: Apple TV+
A plane is hijacked during a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London. Obviously, Idris Elba is here and outfitted in his usual hot ex-husband with questionable morals finest. I accidentally binged this show, and I have to admit it was pretty fun. If you are looking for a seven-part thriller, I highly recommend it.
Luther (2010-2019)
Where You Can Watch: Britbox, Pluto TV, and Tubi
Elba plays the brilliant homicide detective who uses unconventional methods to take a bite out of crime. British psychological thrillers are one of my favorite things. I’ve been working my way slowly through this series for years. All 20 episodes that make up the six seasons are currently streaming. You should also watch the movie Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) on Netflix if you are ready to say farewell to this infamous Idris character.
No Good Deed (2014)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu and Tubi
A mom and her children are terrorized by an escaped convict. While Idris Elba loves playing complicated characters in thrillers, it is not every day he gets to be a bad guy. The actor plays a dangerous and deadly man who puts an unsuspecting family through the ringer. We love to see it!
Obsessed (2009)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu
A woman’s obsession with her boss leads her to do unimaginable things. This thriller is chaotic and does end with Beyoncé and Ali Larter fighting to the death. However, there has never been a more attractive on-screen couple than Idris and Beyoncé. The reason no one believed an affair was possible is because no one is going to buy that either of these two is stepping outside of that marriage.
Pacific Rim (2013)
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
A small band of humans are humanity’s last chance to avoid an apocalypse. There’s a lot to root for in this PG-13 sci-fi adventure. However, the war between humankind and the sea creatures got moved to the back burner every time Marshal Stacker Pentecost was on screen. We have seen Idris steal scenes from other actors, but watching him steal focus from a kaiju battle was a moment.
Prometheus (2012)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu
A team travels to a distant moon and ends up battling an otherworldly force. Not all Alien sequels are created equally. However, this one at least has the decency to give us a little Idris Elba while we figure out if we are having a good time. I wish his character had not been another in a long line of Black male characters who sacrifice themselves in this franchise. However, at least he looked really cool the few times he was on screen.
Sorted (2000)
Where You Can Watch: Plex, Pluto TV, Prime Video, and Tubi
A man finds himself immersed in a world of drugs and raves while investigating the mysterious death of his brother. I am sad that I was the last to discover that Idris Elba, Matthew Rhys, and Tim Curry did a movie together. I feel robbed of all the years I could have made people watch this thriller with me pre-pandemic. Honestly, I do not know why you have not already hit play on this one after seeing the cast list.
If you think this list of Idris Elba thrillers is long, then remember these are only the ones on streamers. He has another bajillion films on VOD like, The Unborn, The Take, The Reaping, and The Dark Tower. The king also has made many appearances on BBC shows I am on the hunt for as I write this. In the meantime, let me know what your favorite Idris Elba role is at @misssharai.
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