Idris Elba’s 22summers partner Nile Group, Action Xtreme to build West Africa’s action cinema pipeline

Moses Babatope’s Nile Media Entertainment Group, Chee Keong Cheung’s Action Xtreme and Idris Elba’s 22summers have announced a new strategic production collaboration and partnership focused on producing a slate of action films originating from across West Africa.

The initiative aims to develop and produce a slate of high-energy, commercially driven action films rooted in African stories and talent, while creating a long-term production ecosystem designed to nurture local creatives and build globally competitive genre filmmaking from the continent.

All parties have a shared commitment to supporting new talent and expanding opportunities for African storytelling on the international stage working in parallel with training and mentorship initiatives.

The goal of the partnership is to create a sustainable pipeline of African genre content capable of reaching global theatrical and streaming audiences.

The partnership reflects a shared belief that Africa represents one of the most exciting emerging territories for globally scalable genre filmmaking.

Industry observers have increasingly pointed to the action genre as one of the most globally exportable forms of storytelling, capable of transcending language barriers while showcasing local culture and talent.

The partners believe African action stories can resonate strongly with international audiences while remaining rooted in the continent’s distinctive settings and perspectives.

The first film will be announced shortly and is scheduled for Q4 2026 and the second in Q1 2027.  Idris Elba and Gina Carter will exec produce, with Idris Elba set to direct a film as part of the collaboration.

Chee Keong Cheung will direct the first film and produce for Action Xtreme and Moses Babatope will produce for Nile Motion Picture.

African distribution will be handled by Nile Entertainment.

Moses Babatope, Group CEO of The Nile Media Entertainment Group, said: “This partnership represents a significant step in our vision of building globally competitive African cinema. Action is one of the world’s most commercially powerful genres, yet Africa remains largely underrepresented in that space despite the incredible stories, talent, and creative energy that exist across the continent.

“What excites us most is that this is not simply about making films. It is about creating a sustainable ecosystem that combines production, talent development, and distribution to give African filmmakers the opportunity to create world class action content that can travel across borders while remaining authentically African.

“Having partners such as Idris Elba and 22Summers, alongside Chee Keong Cheung and Action Xtreme, brings together a unique blend of international experience and local expertise. Together, we believe we can create films that entertain global audiences, create opportunities for emerging talent, and further position Africa as an important destination for premium genre filmmaking.”

Chee Keong Cheung, CEO of Action Xtreme, said:
“I’m incredibly honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with Idris Elba and 22Summers and Moses Babatope and Nile Media Entertainment Group on this exciting partnership.

“Making Son of the Soil in Nigeria was an extraordinary experience and it made me appreciate the incredible depth of talent, stories and creative energy within Africa that deserves a global stage.

“What we are building with this collaboration is not just a slate of films, but a sustainable ecosystem where African action cinema can thrive. By combining local talent with international production expertise, we want to create commercially exciting films that travel worldwide while remaining authentically rooted in Africa.”

Idris Elba, 22Summers said: “The journey continues, strengthening the African film industry is about collaboration and shared perspectives. I am fortunate to have these partners (Action Extreme And Nile) and aim to have global success with this slate. Success breeds data and data breeds  investment”

Gina Carter, Creative Director of 22Summers said:
“We’re excited to be part of this slate of African action films championing bold new voices in one of our favourite genres. Africa has an incredible wealth of stories and talent, and this partnership combines our shared strengths to create commercially ambitious films with global appeal”