Idris Elba ('Luther', 'Prometheus', 'Thor') will star in and produce ‘A Hundred Streets’ (originally called ‘One Square Mile’), the feature debut of Irish director Jim O'Hanlon. The feature, which also stars Gemma Arterton (‘Quantum of Solace’, ‘Byzantium’), Adam Bakri (‘Omar’) and Franz Drameh (‘Edge of Tomorrow’, ‘Now is Good’), has begun production.
Deadline.com broke the news and reports that the London-set ensemble piece will see the stories all taking place within one square mile of each other. Among the main characters are a troubled former rugby player played by Elba and his estranged wife, played by Arterton. Adam Bakri has been cast as a playboy who encounters an ex-girlfriend and Franz Drameh portrays a drug dealer who befriends an ageing actor.
Director O'Hanlon is taking over the helm for the feature from Michael Caton-Jones, who chose to pursue another project. O’Hanlon’s writing and directing credits include ‘Quirke’, ‘Coronation Street’, ‘The Bill’, ‘Casualty’, ‘Shameless’, BBC's ‘Emma’, ‘House of Saddam’, ‘A Touch of Cloth’ and ‘In the Flesh’.
The feature is written by Leon Butler and producers on the project are Elba, Pippa Cross, Butler, Carl F Pauwels, Farah Durrani, and Irish casting director Ros Hubbard. International sales are being handled by uMedia Entertainment.
Elba is repped by WME and The Artists Partnership, Arterton is repped by CAA and Independent, and O’Hanlon is with Resolution and Artists Partnership.