Stringer Bell The Oscar Contender? The Weinstein Company Pick Up 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' Starring Idris Elba

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by Kevin Jagernauth
February 22, 2013 4:51 PM
2 Comments

The Oscars are in just over for 48 hours, but man, they feel so yesterday already, amirite? So let's start looking ahead to next year, and one can't ignore the news and start speculating when someone like Harvey Weinstein snaps up a movie about Nelson Mandela.

The Weinstein Company has picked up the rights to "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom," the biopic with none other than the eternally awesome Idris Elba in the lead role. Justin Chadwick ("The First Grader") directs with Naomie Harris co-starring as Winnie, with the film said by Elba last year to cover Mandela's "early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison…" It's a powerful story indeed, though previous attempts to chronicle the South African leader's life (or parts of it) haven't had quite the lasting impact. Actors ranging from Danny Glover ("Mandela"), Dennis Haysbert ("Goodbye Bafana") and Terrence Howard ("Winnie") have taken him on, but none with the power of Harv behind them.

And that's really the crux of this whole story. Will this be on the slate of movies Harvey pushes for Oscar next year? Remember, he's the guy who got the otherwise forgettable "My Week With Marilyn" Oscar nods, and nobody knows how to work a real-life story (please also see "The Iron Lady") quite like this Oscar veteran. So, will we see Idris Elba in the Best Actor category next year? Prognosticators, start your engines... [Deadline]

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2 Comments

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BEF | February 22, 2013 7:04 PMReply

I know it's a forgettable movie, but it's odd that in tossing out a potential Oscar baiting role, that you don't mention that Morgan Freeman was nominated for Best Actor for playing Mandela in "Invictus." Never underestimate the power of Eastwood.
anonymoush8ter | February 22, 2013 5:07 PMReply

You know he's done other things right? I swear to God every Idris Elba piece you've written says something about Stringer Bell in the title. Have you even seen "Luther?"