Idris Elba has become one of Britain ’s most well - known movie histrion over the course of the retiring decade , being considered as a frontrunner to become the next James Bond for many years . Elba ’s life history in movies has been varied , with the actor being unafraid to take on voice roles in animated feature as well as star roles in live - action at law films .

update on August 8th , 2022 by Mark Birrell : Though once almost exclusively a patronise role player , Idris Elba has grown to be too big of a star to be anything other than a lead human being in picture show . His upcoming character inBeastshows that , whether he ’s the next 007 or not , the player is just getting started as an activity star .

Star Trek Beyond (2016) – 7.0

Available on Paramount+

While Idris Elba may seem more intimate now to audiences when he ’s make for the hero , he , like many British actors , has had an accomplished career playing the scoundrel also .

Even when his flagitious lineament requires all-inclusive makeup , Elba ’s performance always radiate through , permit him to equip well the rank of many other memorableStar Trekmovie scoundrel actors , from Tom Hardy to Christopher Lloyd .

Prometheus (2012) – 7.0

Available on Hulu

Elba wiz as Janek , the captain of the titulary cryptic space exploration vas in this science - fiction repulsion smash hit set in the same universe of discourse as director Ridley Scott ’s Hellenic filmAlien .

Though it ’s one of Elba ’s legion blockbuster supporting persona , and it ’s in a enfranchisement renowned for its main character deaths , Janek does get some great phone line and the chance to go out in a blaze of gloriole .

Thor (2011) – 7.0

Available on Disney+

today , just about every major worker out there has been in a superhero movie at one sentence or another . Whether they be the titular character , the handsome bad , or a remarkable side character , being in superhero moving-picture show can promote an actor ’s report .

When Idris Elba drink down up in the sci - fi superhero epicThor , as the all - see Heimdall , many were delighted by his reserved yet enjoyable performance . So much so that Elba would come along again as the grapheme in all theThorsequels as well as several of theAvengersmovies .

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (2013) – 7.1

Available on Netflix

To limn a fictional character in a film is n’t an light effort , yet it can be far less difficult than attempt to present a existent - life icon in a biopic .

When Idris Elba roleplay the persona of Nelson Mandela inLong Walk to Freedom , he did a fantastic job in bring the former President of the United States of South Africa to life in a fearless performance , earn him a Best Actor nominating address at the 71st Golden Globes .

RocknRolla (2008) – 7.2

Available on Hoopla

Few pic directors seem to understand the law-breaking genre quite as well as Guy Ritchie , who redefine New British mobster movies in the belated XC and early 2000s , so it would ’ve been odd for his path to not cross with one of London ’s most famous actors at some point or another .

RocknRollasees Elba playing a supporting role as a mob member refer Mumbles , making up just one part of one of Ritchie ’s panoptic and richest supporting players to engagement .

The Suicide Squad (2021) – 7.2

Available on HBO Max

A sequel to the 2016 DCEU movieSuicide Squad , James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadwas a retooling of the franchise for the big cover whilst carry over several graphic symbol and actors from the original film . This confusing kinship between the two movies perhaps chip in to the sequel gross far less at the box office than the original despite faring well better with critic .

Elba takes a stellar part as Bloodsport , a loath leader to the ragtag and bobtail group of supervillains as they embark on a suspect cube - ops mission on a fictional South American island , becoming one of the few actors to find winner in both the DCEU and the MCU .

Finding Dory (2016) – 7.3

Yet another role that the actor direct in a major megahit released in 2016 , Elba has a small cameo as the phonation of a ocean lion named Fluke in this slay sequel to Pixar ’s original filmFinding Nemo .

It ’s a memorable part of the motion picture , particularly for old viewers , as Elba is joined by his fellowWirealum Dominic West , who plays another sea lion , Rudder , and the pair put their native British accents to respectable utilization for a gag that likens the phone made by sea lions to a chant made by soccer rooter .

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – 7.3

While Elba did n’t get the opportunity to make an appearance in the huge ensemble of the firstAvengersmovie , he did get a small part to recreate in the second instalment .

Though legal brief , it ’s an crucial appearance , as it happens during a vision view with Thor which teases many events in the laterThorandAvengersmovies , include the Infinity Stone and Infinity Gauntlet plotlines that tie the initial MCU movies together .

Molly’s Game (2017) – 7.4

There are consequence in some films when there are no good cat or bad guys - when the character are n’t in the right but they ’re in the wrong in such a mode that the consultation ca n’t help but root for them .

Molly ’s Game , which follows the school principal of an hugger-mugger poker empire , sees Elba playing the titulary fiber ’s lawyer , Charlie Jaffey . While Jaffey ’s trying to protect a risky person , the way Elba limn the character will allow anyone cheering for both character .

The Jungle Book (2016) – 7.4

Elba took his 2d major villain role of 2016 in the signifier of the celebrated villain Shere Khan , the fearsome Panthera tigris fromThe Jungle Book , total his talents to an telling phonation casting that includes Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson , amongst many others .

A billion - dollar success that heralded a new wave of live - legal action Disney remakes of their honest-to-god animated form of address , The Jungle Bookwas as much a collision with critic as it was with audience , winning an Oscar for its extensive visual personal effects oeuvre used to integrate a live - action mechanism operation with vivify animal characters .

thor alongside the marvel god atun

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

Split-image-of-Idris-Elba-in-Thor-Ragnarok-The-Suicide-Squad-and-Mandela-Long-Walk-to-Freedom

Krall in Star Trek Beyond

Idris ELba as Janek in Prometheus

Idris Elba as Heimdall with orange eyes in Thor: The Dark World.

Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Gerard Butler and Idris Elba in RocknRolla

Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad after a battle, looking up in horror

Idris Elba Voiced Fluke in Finding Dory

Heimdall in Avengers Age of Ultron

Molly and Charlie at a court house in Molly’s Game

Idris Elba voiced Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (2016)

Movies

Thor