The production on Idris Elba‘s directorial debut Yardie has started, Studiocanal announced today. The movie is set for a seven week shoot first in London before moving to Jamaica.
The movie is based on Victor Headley‘s cult novel of the same and will star Maze Runner actor Aml Ameen in the lead role of ‘D’. He will be joined by Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge star Stephen Graham who will play the role of Rico. The cast will include a number of new Jamaican starlets including Shantol Jackson as Yvonne, Sheldon Shepherd as King Fox and Everaldo Creary as Jerry Dread. Elba himself will take a role in the movie playing the role of Piper
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.
“I am interested in making human stories with characters that are either, full of grace or flawed.” commented Idris Elba “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 hometown of London and as a guest in Jamaica.”
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).
Yardie is financed by STUDIOCANAL, BFI, BBC Films and Screen Yorkshire. Universal Music are partners in the film and their Island Records label will be releasing the soundtrack. Executive producers are Dan MacRae and Danny Perkins for STUDIOCANAL, Mary Burke and Ben Roberts for BFI, Joe Oppenheimer for BBC Films, Hugo Heppell for Screen Yorkshire, Mark Herbert for Warp Films, and Idris Elba.
