20 Best Idris Elba Movies and TV Shows (Including ‘A House of Dynamite’)

Idris Elba has built a career that moves smoothly between TV and film, leading roles and scene-stealing support. He has anchored prestige dramas, powered action blockbusters, and taken bold swings in character-driven stories. This list pulls together standout projects across genres so you can trace how his range keeps widening. From gritty crime sagas to sweeping adventures, here are the essentials to watch next.

‘Luther’ (2010–2019)

Elba stars as Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, a brilliant investigator who battles dangerous criminals while wrestling with his own demons. The series blends complex cases with an ongoing cat and mouse dynamic that shapes Luther’s choices. It is known for tense interrogations, morally thorny decisions, and a haunting London backdrop. Several specials extend the story between main seasons and keep the character in motion.

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Elba plays Stringer Bell, the calculating partner in a West Baltimore drug organization that the show examines from the street to city hall. His character studies business theory and applies it to the trade, which creates friction inside the crew. The series rotates through institutions like schools, unions, and the press to reveal how systems interact. Elba’s calm presence adds a measured counterpoint to the chaos around him.

‘Beasts of No Nation’ (2015)

Elba portrays the Commandant, a militia leader who takes in a young boy during a brutal civil conflict. The film follows the child’s training and the cost of survival as battles shift across villages and forests. Elba’s character combines mentorship with manipulation to hold the group together. The production was shot on location with a mix of professional and first-time actors to heighten realism.

‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ (2023)

This feature continues the story of John Luther after the events of the series. He pursues a tech-savvy predator whose influence reaches into institutions and private networks. The film expands the scale of the investigation with international travel and larger set pieces. Familiar allies and adversaries return to test where Luther’s loyalties lead.

‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ (2013)

Elba leads as Nelson Mandela, charting his early activism, imprisonment, and eventual political rise. The narrative compresses decades of personal and national change into a focused biographical arc. Key moments include organizing efforts, legal strategy, and negotiations that reshape a country. The performance emphasizes voice, physicality, and the toll of leadership on family life.

‘Pacific Rim’ (2013)

Elba commands the Jaeger program that deploys giant mechs to fight monstrous kaiju emerging from the ocean. He coordinates pilots, sets battle plans, and delivers mission orders as storms gather over coastal cities. The film mixes military logistics with experimental science to explain the neural drift between co-pilots. Large scale effects work drives the action across ports and rift zones.

‘Molly’s Game’ (2017)

Elba appears as defense attorney Charlie Jaffey, representing a former elite athlete who ran exclusive high-stakes poker games. Courtroom scenes hinge on negotiating with federal prosecutors and protecting client data. Dialogue moves quickly as legal strategies collide with reputational risks. The film adapts a memoir and leans on rapid exchanges to unpack complex cases.

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ (2017)

Elba returns as Heimdall, the Asgardian guardian with an all-seeing gaze who aids evacuees during a crisis. He leads civilians through hidden routes while larger battles shake the realm. The role highlights his steady presence amid cosmic upheaval and shifting alliances. Action beats intercut with escapes that push characters toward a final stand.

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)

Elba appears as Heimdall in an opening sequence that sets the tone for the conflict to come. His character uses ancient power to send help across space at a pivotal moment. The film then widens to multiple teams converging on different fronts. Heimdall’s choice ripples through later events as heroes regroup.

‘The Suicide Squad’ (2021)

Elba plays Robert DuBois, known as Bloodsport, a marksman coerced into a covert mission with unstable teammates. The story follows a government task force as it infiltrates a guarded island facility. Tactics shift from stealth to spectacle when plans unravel in the field. DuBois balances reluctant leadership with precise combat skills.

‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’ (2019)

Elba portrays Brixton, an enhanced operative who frames global threats as a test of human evolution. The plot pairs two rival agents who chase him across cities and remote hideouts. Set pieces feature motorcycles, trucks, and aerial stunts tied to cutting-edge tech. Brixton’s upgrades force the heroes to rethink their usual playbook.

‘Prometheus’ (2012)

Elba captains the exploration vessel that transports scientists to a distant moon in search of humanity’s origins. He handles ship protocols, crisis response, and on-the-fly triage when discoveries turn hazardous. The film blends archaeology with bioengineering to explore creation myths. Bridge scenes often anchor the story as crew members argue over next steps.

‘American Gangster’ (2007)

Elba appears as Tango, a player in Harlem’s drug trade who crosses paths with Frank Lucas during a turf shift. The film tracks parallel investigations and business moves that reshape supply lines. Power dynamics play out in back rooms, street corners, and nightclubs. Elba’s scenes help map the changing hierarchy of the neighborhood.

‘RocknRolla’ (2008)

Elba is part of a crew navigating London’s real estate schemes and underworld deals as new money collides with old power. The plot spins through missing assets, double crosses, and shifting loyalties. Quick cuts and overlapping stories reveal how small choices cause big trouble. The ensemble structure gives each member a distinct role inside the hustle.

‘The Mountain Between Us’ (2017)

Elba plays a surgeon stranded after a charter flight goes down in a remote, icy region. Survival depends on first aid, route finding, and rationing while weather closes in. The journey tests endurance as the pair tracks across ridgelines and frozen lakes. Rescue attempts hinge on radio contact and reading the terrain.

‘No Good Deed’ (2014)

Elba takes on the role of an escaped convict who targets a suburban home during a storm. The tension unfolds through phone lines cut, power outages, and improvised defenses. Cat and mouse sequences turn household items into tools for survival. Police response times and misdirection keep the threat close.

‘Obsessed’ (2009)

Elba portrays a successful executive whose office life spirals when a temp fixates on him. Meetings, elevators, and company events become pressure points as boundaries are tested. The situation escalates into security calls and legal concerns. The film examines harassment and the fallout for careers and families.

‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ (2022)

Elba plays a djinn who tells layered stories to a scholar during an unexpected meeting in a hotel room. The tales span empires, desires, and the cost of wishes granted or withheld. Visual storytelling shifts as each memory unfolds. The frame narrative connects myth to modern choices.

‘Hijack’ (2023)

Elba stars as Sam Nelson, a corporate negotiator who applies deal-making tactics during an in-air hostage crisis. The real-time structure tracks cabin movements, cockpit control, and ground responses. Communication with authorities becomes a puzzle of codes and leverage. The series studies how negotiation can work under extreme pressure.

‘A House of Dynamite’ (2025)

Elba headlines this action thriller centered on a fortified estate rigged with traps that trigger a violent standoff. The story follows a team attempting to breach the property while a criminal mastermind tightens control. Technology, surveillance, and layered defenses complicate every move. Elba’s character navigates shifting alliances as explosions reshape the battleground.

Share your favorite Idris Elba roles in the comments and tell us which ones we should add to the watchlist next.