Idris Elba will star in A24's TV series Things Fall Apart

A TV series adaptation of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is in development at A24, with Idris Elba set to star and executive produce. diversity learned exclusively.

There is currently no author assigned to the project and it is not currently set up on a streaming service or network. Elba will serve as an executive producer alongside Gina Carter as part of their recently launched 22Summers production banner. David Oyelowo and Amanda N'Duka will executive produce through Yoruba Saxon. Ben Forkner, Dayo Ogunyemi and Achebe Masterworks also serve as executive producers. A24 is the studio.

The official description of “Things Fall Apart” states that it is “the story of Okonkwo (Elba), one of literature’s most famous characters – a fearless African warrior and leader determined to protect his people and their culture As British colonizers turn his world upside down, Okonkwo's fight to retain power and tradition escalates into a heartbreaking confrontation. His fierce determination, a fatal flaw in the face of unstoppable change, makes him an unforgettable character who embodies the tension between strength, vulnerability and adaptability.”

Things Fall Apart is widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written. It has been translated into over 60 languages ​​and won awards such as the Nigerian National Merit Award and the Man Booker International Prize. It is the first book in Achebe's Africa trilogy, followed by No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God. It was previously adapted as both a film and a miniseries, with Pete Edochie playing the role of Okonkwo in the miniseries.

Elba recently received an Emmy nomination for his starring role in the Apple series Hijack. He was also nominated four times for his role in the British crime series “Luther” and for best guest actor in a comedy for “The Big C.” His other television credits include the role of Stringer Bell in the HBO series “The Wire,” co-creating and starring in the series “Turn Up Charlie,” and creating and starring in “In the Long Run.” In film, Elba is known for his roles in Beasts of No Nation, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Harder They Fall, James Gunn's Suicide Squad, and for his role as Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

He is represented by The Artists Partnership, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole and The Lede Company

As a producer, Oyelowo and Yoruba Saxon most recently produced the Paramount+ series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” in which Oyelowo also starred as Reeves. Yoruba Saxon is also producing the upcoming Apple TV+ series “Government Cheese,” which will also star Oyelowo. In film, the company has produced feature films such as “The After,” “The Water Man,” “A United Kingdom” and the documentary “Ferguson Rising.”

Oyelowo is repped by CAA, Hamilton Hodell, Del Shaw Moonves and ID.