idris elba
Slick Rick has not released a full-length project in over 26 years, and that will soon change this summer. Partnering with Idris Elba, Slick Rick is slated to release his visual album Victory this summer via Elba’s 7Wallace label and Nas‘ Mass Appeal Records.
Slick Rick, long considered Hip-Hop’s most masterful storyteller, will deliver Victory this June. As we see in the trailer for the project, the artist, real name Ricky Walters, constructed the album over four years and recorded in Europe, Africa, and North America. Rick’s suave voice can be heard explaining the value of songwriting and poetry, reminding viewers that before films, words were how pictures were painted.
Victory serves as Slick Rick’s fifth studio album, last releasing his gold-selling album, The Art of Storytelling, in 1999. Rick and Elba are the executive producers for the album, with special appearances from Nas, Giggs, and Estelle.
“Victory is all about perseverance, storytelling, imagination and evolution. A visual blend of art and heart — a sonic journey that reflects where I’ve been and where I’m going. Victory isn’t just music — it’s a bold in your face statement, showcasing British artistry at its finest!” Rick shared in a statment.
Elba adds, “Working with Slick Rick… back home in the UK, and then offering the world of hip hop something amazing has been a blessing. It’s literally a gift!”
Mass Appeal co-founder Nas also shared a statement.
“Slick Rick and I have a long history of working together so it was great to get back in the studio with him to create this new record. He has been such an influential figure in Hip Hop culture and I look forward to him sharing this project with the next generation of fans,” shared the Queensbridge MC.
Victory clocks in at 30 minutes and is directed by Meji Alabi, who worked with Beyoncé on her Black Is King project. The project carries the bold, creative visions of both Rick and Elba, who, beyond acting, released music previously and is an active DJ, among Elba’s other talents.
The powerhouse affair features longtime studio engineer Young Guru, who mixed the project, and photography was provided by Jonathan Mannion. Victory will see a world premiere at SXS7 London at Shoreditch Town Hall on June 7, followed by a special session with Slick Rick, Idris Elba, and Meji Alabi.
Victory will make its debut in the States on June 13 at the SVA 1 Theater during the Tribeca Festival, which will have a Q&A session with Slick Rick. That same day, Victory will be available on DSPs and for purchase.
To purchase tickets for the SXSW London showing, click here. For the Tribeca Festival showing, click here.
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Photo: Jonathan Mannion
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Source: Paramount Pictures / SEGA / Sonic The Hedgehog 3
SEGA might have the greatest video game movie franchise ever thanks to the company’s iconic speedy mascot, Sonic The Hedgehog. The third installment in the franchise, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, keeps the same energy as the first two films and, based on the critical reception, is the best one yet.
Like the Sonic The Hedgehog video game franchise, the movies follow the same trajectory, each being a level-up from the next.
While Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s domestic box office opening was slightly under Sonic 2’s $72.1 million, it raced to an impressive $70.5 million.
But where Sonic 3 trumps its predecessor is in its critical reception, currently sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 98% audience score, making it the highest-rated movie out of the three. Hence, everyone, except IGN, who gave the film a 6 (okay) rating, is more than pleased with the latest movie.
Now, we’re not totally bashing everyone’s favorite video game website. The reviewer did love Jim Carrey’s duo performance as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather Gerald Robotnik, and the excellent use of CGI for the film’s scenes featuring Team Sonic and the bad-ass anti-hero Shadow The Hedgehog.
But for the other critics and fans, those things mentioned above, the perfect casting of Keanu Reeves to bring Shadow to the big screen alongside returning favorites Ben Schwartz (Sonic), Idris Elba (Knuckles), and Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails) were the chef’s kiss.
Jeff Fowler Went Out His Way To Please Sonic the Hedgehog Fans
Returning director Jeff Fowler clearly did his homework when making these Sonic films. He went hard on the fan service, which was also a big hit with fans of the video game franchise, as the movie is peppered with references to the video games.
I did this like seven times during #SonicMovie3 pic.twitter.com/AmdAZqnRur
— The Green Kasey 🎃 (@RawbertBeef) December 21, 2024
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Sonic The Hedgehog’s success at the box office should be studied; who can forget the reaction to the film’s first CGI design for Sonic, which was so bad that social media successfully bullied the director and his team to go back to the drawing board and make changes.
Those changes have paid off big-time, giving Paramount some bragging rights because they can say, without much pushback from anyone, that the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise is the best video game film adaption ever.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Definitely not wrong with this take.
3. A job well done Jeff.
4. We agree
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Source: Variety / Getty / Idris Elba
Idris Elba and David Oyelowo continue to be booked and busy.
Variety exclusively reports that Elba has signed on to executive produce and star in a TV adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, which A24 is developing.
The website reports that the series has no home yet, and no writer is attached to the project. Gina Carter joins Elba as an executive producer under their recently launched 22Summers banner.
David Oyelowo and Amanda N’Duka will also executive produce under their Yoruba Saxon production company.
Per Variety:
The official description of “Things Fall Apart” states it is the “story of Okonkwo (Elba), one of literature’s most iconic characters—a fearless African warrior and leader who is resolute about preserving his people and culture. As British colonizers disrupt his world, Okonkwo’s struggle to maintain power and tradition spirals into a heart-wrenching confrontation. His fierce resolve, a fatal flaw in the face of unstoppable change, makes him an unforgettable character, embodying the tension between strength, vulnerability and adaptability.”
According to the website, Things Fall Apart is considered by many to be one of the greatest novels ever written. The book has been translated into over 60 languages and won multiple awards, including the Nigerian National Merit Award and the Man Booker International Prize.
This won’t be the first time the book will be adapted for the small screen. It was developed into a miniseries starring Pete Edochie, who starred as Okonkwo, and as a film.
Both Elba and Oyelowo have been quite busy. Elba is coming off Emmy nominations for his stellar work in the Apple TV+ series Hijack.
Oyelowo and Yoruba Saxon most recently produced the Paramount+ series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, in which Oyelowo starred as Reeves.
We look forward to what these two are cooking up with Things Fall Apart.
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Source: Momodu Mansaray / Getty / Keanu Reeves
It’s not often that we get perfect castings in films, but according to X, Paramount got this one right.
Multiple sources are telling The Hollywood Reporter that Keanu Reeves and his iconic voice will bring to life fan-favorite character Shadow The Hedgehog in the highly anticipated film Sonic 3.
The news first reported by The John Campea Show comes after Paramount had a strong showing at CinemaCon last week in Las Vegas, where attendees saw some early footage from Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
In the footage, attendees were happy to see that Jim Carrey is back as Dr. Robotnik, who is now depressed and overweight after being defeated by his long-time nemesis, Sonic.
Robotnik regains his mojo after creating Shadow, who is, in every sense, the dark version of the Blue Blur and has similar abilities.
Following a lackluster trailer that first introduced a hideous Sonic The Hedgehog design that Twitter bullied the studio into changing, the first movie raced into theaters in 2020, earning a whopping $319 million at the box office and becoming one of the last theatrical blockbusters right before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down.
Sonic 2 arrived in 2022, introducing more characters like Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba), earning $404 million.
Reeves continues to stay quite busy in Hollywood, most recently starring in John Wick 4, bringing back Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections, reprising his role as John Wick in the upcoming spinoff John Wick Presents: The Ballerina, and a role in Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune.
Social Media Users Chime In On The Casting
Following the announcement, X, formerly Twitter, celebrates Reeves casting in the film.
“THIS IS GONNA BE THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” one X user wrote.
Another post read, “perfect casting.”
Some fans are disappointed because they wanted Star Wars star Hayden Christensen to voice Shadow.
If you ask us, this sounds like a win to us. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. We will be seated for this epicness.
3. Sonic fans we are eating
4. We would love to see it.
7. Howling
9. Yes, yes they do.
10. Continue to cook
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Idris Elba is urging United Kingdom officials to get tougher on so-called “zombie” knives in the wake of a spate of stabbings across London and the wider region. The celebrated actor is spearheading a campaign that hopes to quell knife crime.
Idris Elba sat down with BBC Radio 4 for a discussion where he spoke about his Don’t Stop Your Future campaign and expressed that he’s using his platform and ability to get messages spread wide to call on the government to crack down on zombie knives.
For those unaware, zombie knives feature a serrated edge, a cutting edge, and violent words and imagery emblazoned upon them. The zombie style is also seen in machetes as well.
Per the BBC, Elba, 51, attended a demonstration at Parliament Square on Monday (June 8) where the victims of stabbings were represented by way of clothes laid out on a lawn. The hope is to gain the attention of Members of Parliament (MPs) returning from the holiday recess.
More from BBC:
The actor told the BBC a planned change to the law, which would introduce the ban, needs to be fast-tracked.
He accused politicians of not giving the issue “the focus it deserves”.
The Home Office said on Monday in a statement it “will not hesitate to do more to keep our streets safe”.
It said bans on zombie and cyclone knives are already in place “and work under way to extend this to include zombie-style machetes”.
Idris Elba is set to release a new music single titled “Knives Down” with the backing of his Don’t Stop Your Future campaign.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Apple TV+ / Apple TV+
Idris Elba may not be in line to become the next James Bond, but the man is surely acting like a 007 in the trailer for his upcoming action film, Hijack.
In the first trailer for the Apple TV+ action-thriller, Idris Elba stars as “Sam Nelson” (that man does not look like a Sam Nelson), who boards a 7-hour flight back home to London only to find himself in the middle of a hijack situation as armed gunmen take over the plane and force the passengers to comply with their demands. Armed with nothing but his wits and hands, Nelson hatches a plan to retake the flight, but only if some of his fellow passengers play their part in his plan.
Unfortunately the hijack is part of a bigger plot that could spell the end of not just the passengers on the plane, but people on the ground. Can Sam “The Negotiator” Nelson smooth talk his and the rest of the passengers’ way to safety or will they have to take matters into their own hands and risk ending the lives of hundreds and maybe thousands of innocent people? Guess we’ll have to wait till June 28 to find out when Hijack premiers on Apple TV+.
Check out the trailer to Hijack below and let us know if you’ll be checking it out when it premiers on June 28.
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Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina Elba have been tapped by the BBC and CBC networks to produce a new documentary. Paid In Full: The Battle For Payback will examine racism within the music industry and how Black artists have suffered under the weight of that oppression.
Variety shared details of the impending documentary from Idris Elba and his Green Door Pictures outfit, partnering with Sabrina Elba’s Pink Towel company with Zinc Media’s Supercollider also named as a partner. Paid In Full: The Battle For Payback, which is said to be a working title, will take a deeper look at the music industry and the potential for financial equity for Black artists due to racism and divided opportunities.
The documentary will be a series and is funded and co-produced with Abacus Media Rights and Media Musketeers Studios. AMR will distribute the documentary around the globe.
“This is a story that touches all of us. It’s about the people who created the soundtracks of our lives in popular music and the pain of their exploitation. It’s also about bringing the music industry to account for the injustice inflicted on generations of musical talents who have been deprived of their rightful rewards both financially and in terms of status and respect. At the heart of it is the need to make amends – granting acknowledgment and paying back what is due,” Idris Elba said in a statement.
Tanya Shaw of Zinc Television added, “Far from being a straight music documentary, this series will explore the music industry within a racial context and reflect the history of exploitation within the industry. It will also major in on conversations of structural racism and those who have worked so hard to expose them.”
A release date for the documentary series has yet to be revealed.
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Photo: Getty
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