Idris Elba Universal Thriller ‘Beast’ Adds Trio, Production Starts In South Africa

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South African actor Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries have joined the Idris Elba Universal-Will Packer movie Beast, which started production in South Africa.

Elba stars as Dr. Nate Samuels, a recently widowed husband who returns to South Africa, where he first met his wife, on a long-planned trip with their teenage daughters to a game reserve managed by an old family friend and wildlife biologist. But what begins as a journey of healing jolts into a fearsome fight for survival when a rogue lion, a survivor of blood-thirsty poachers who now sees all humans as the enemy, begins stalking them.

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Sharlto Copley (Russian Doll series, Maleficent) co-stars as Nate Samuels’ old friend, Martin Battles. Halley (The Hate U Give, This Is Us series) plays Samuels’ 18-year-old daughter, Meredith, and Jeffries (Rel series, Empire series) plays his 13-year-old, Norah.

Beast, directed by Baltasar Kormákur, will be filmed entirely in South Africa during a 10-week shoot in the rural provinces of Limpopo and Northern Cape and in the city of Cape Town. The feature is working in collaboration and cooperation with South African production services company Known Associates Entertainment (KAE) and with South Africa’s Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC).

Will Packer produces with James Lopez, president of Will Packer Productions. Ryan Engle (Rampage, Non-Stop) penned the script. Jaime Primak Sullivan and Bernard Bellew are EPs.

Beast hits cinemas on Aug. 19, 2022.

Copley is represented by WME and Fourward. Halley is represented by Greene & Associates Talent Agency, Pallas Management Group and Del, Shaw, Moonves. Jeffries is represented by The Osbrink Agency, Level Talent Group and Fox Rothchild.

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