Kathryn Bigelow's Next Film to Star Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson

In the spring, Kathryn Bigelow was supposed to start shooting “Aurora” for Netflix, but the filmmaker dropped out of the project due to budgetary constraints. However, she then went back to the streamer, with another project, and this time around it was met with approval.

Bigelow is set to direct a “hot script” by former NBC News president Noah Oppenheim (he also wrote “Jackie”). The film, almost set entirely in the White House, will have its characters react in real time to ballistic missiles headed for America.

Last night, Jeff Sneider reported on a rumor that Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson were circling roles in Bigelow’s film. Details as to the roles the pair are playing are under wraps, as is the film’s title. The news has since been corroborated by Deadline.

Initially, newly minted Netflix film chief Dan Lin had told Bigelow that her the project was too expensive and too long; he wanted to know how she might bring down both the budget and length. However, they’ve since worked out any budgetary issues and Bigelow is officially signed on to make the movie as one of Lin’s first greenlights.

I would imagine that this one gets fast-tracked into production soon. Things have been revving up on it ever since it was first reported on last month. Initially, Lin told Bigelow that her the project was too expensive and too long; he wanted to know how she might bring down both the budget and length. However, Belloni’s sources are telling him that they’ve since worked out budgetary issues and she’s officially signed on to make the movie as one of Lin’s first greenlights.

It’s been seven years since Bigelow released her last film, 2017’s “Detroit.” Bigelow, 72, is the maverick filmmaker behind such films as “The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Near Dark,” “Point Break,” and “Strange Days.” She was one of the hottest filmmakers in the aughts, having directed two Best Picture nominees, and winning a Best Director prize for “The Hurt Locker.”

“Detroit” garnered a mixed reception upon release. That film might have been the reason why she went into hiatus. A few years ago, I had reported that Bigelow was taking time off from filmmaking after being dismayed by the overall reception of “Detroit.” She’s now officially back with a new film.