Idris Elba to Star in and Direct Action-Comedy 'In Laws'

Idris Elba is set to star in and direct In Laws, an action-comedy, Deadline reported on 6 November 2026.

In the film, Elba plays Carson Hughes, a secret agent who has been blacklisted, meaning he has been cut off from the work he once did. He gets a shot at redemption, a chance to earn back his place. The story is built around that second chance.

The production is backed by Elba and Gina Carter under their 22Summers banner. They are working alongside Jeffrey Greenstein of A Higher Standard and Mark Fasano of Nickel City Pictures. Greenstein also co-wrote the script with Eshom and Ian Nelms, working from an original screenplay by Adrian Speckhert and Cory Hughes.

A Higher Standard is handling worldwide sales. Sales companies sell a film's rights to distributors country by country, and to streaming services, before the movie is finished. A Higher Standard is taking In Laws to the American Film Market, the deal-making event where those buyers gather, so the rights can start to be sold ahead of filming.

Filming has not started. Principal photography, the main stretch of shooting, is scheduled to begin in March 2027 in Spain.

In Laws is Elba's fourth feature as a director. His earlier films behind the camera are Yardie (2018), Above the Below, and an untitled Apple Original Films project. He is also the lead actor in the new picture, so he will be directing himself on screen.

For readers following the film, the next dates to watch are the sales activity at the American Film Market and the March 2027 start of shooting. Until then, the project exists as a cast, a crew and a set of contracts that are still being put in place.