Elba, Cena clash as world leaders in 'Heads of State'
The Prime Video film imagines Cena, 48, as a Hollywood action hero turned US President Will Derringer and Elba, 52, as army veteran and cranky UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke. The two "have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardises their countries' 'special relationship,' " a synopsis reads.
"But when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary — who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces — they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other."
Cena and Elba, who also executive produced the movie, previously worked together on the 2021 superhero film The Suicide Squad.
"Honestly, our time on screen is effortless. He brings the best out of me and, in his words, I try to do my best to provide an environment where he can shine," Cena said at the film's London premiere on Tuesday.
"I love the friendship nature of this film," he added.
The film is directed by Russian filmmaker and musician Ilya Naishuller, who said Cena and Elba brought a realness to their roles.
"They feed off each other as any good couple would, and they know how to argue together in such a way where this is the perfect combination of the American happy-go-lucky, optimistic president and the prime minister who is real about the job and how difficult it is," Naishuller said, adding he set out to make a summer blockbuster in the vein of the buddy action comedies of the 1980s and '90s.
"The goal was, I want to do an hour and 45 of the highest quality entertainment I can do and just do a crowd-pleaser and make sure that the people sitting at home on July the 4th are going to be united and having a great time," he said.
Heads of State also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the role of the pun-loving top MI6 agent Noel Bisset.
"It was really different, because it was a comedy. Most of the action I've done has been in drama and thrillers," Chopra Jonas said.
"I love my puns," she added. "I mean, listen, I love a good pun. You've got to be smart to be punny."
Heads of State started streaming on Prime Video on July 2.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
US targets more ICC judges including over Israel
WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on four more International Criminal Court judges or prosecutors, including from allies France and Canada, in a new effort to hobble the tribunal particularly over actions against Israel. 'The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, using a term popular with President Donald Trump's supporters. Rubio said that the four people targeted from the tribunal based in The Hague had sought to investigate or prosecute nationals from the United States or Israel 'without the consent of either nation.' The four include Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is presiding over a case in which an arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM The case was brought forward by the State of Palestine, which is not recognized by Washington but, unlike Israel or the United States, has acceded to the statute that set up the tribunal in The Hague. Guillou, a veteran jurist, had worked for several years in the United States assisting the Justice Department with judicial cooperation during Barack Obama's presidency. Also targeted in the latest US sanctions was a Canadian judge, Kimberly Prost, who was involved in a case that authorized an investigation into alleged crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan, including by US forces. Under the sanctions, the United States will bar entry of the ICC judges to the United States and block any property they have in the world's largest economy – measures more often taken against US adversaries than individuals from close allies. Rubio also slapped sanctions on two deputy prosecutors – Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. The State Department said the two were punished by the United States for supporting 'illegitimate ICC actions against Israel,' including by supporting the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The Trump administration has roundly rejected the authority of the court, which is backed by almost all European democracies and was set up as a court of last resort when national systems do not allow for justice. Trump on Friday welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska even though Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant, a factor that has stopped him from traveling more widely since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Rubio slapped sanctions on four other ICC judges in June.
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Erdogan tells Putin Turkiye backs Ukraine peace talks involving ‘all parties': presidency
ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday informed his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone that Turkiye would support a process involving 'all parties' for peace in Ukraine, the Turkish presidency said. Erdogan told Putin that 'Turkiye has sincerely strived for a just peace since the beginning of the war, and in this context, supports approaches aimed at establishing lasting peace with the participation of all parties,' his office said in a statement. Turkiye, which enjoys friendly ties with both its Black Sea neighbors, has hosted three rounds of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia since May. Ankara has often insisted on the protection of Ukraine's territorial integrity while shying away from Western sanctions on Russia. US, NATO planners start to craft Ukraine security guarantee options US President Donald Trump held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Washington on Monday, three days after his landmark encounter with Putin in Alaska. NATO head Mark Rutte called Erdogan on Tuesday by phone on his way back to Europe after that meeting, the Turkish presidency said. The pair discussed 'Turkiye's contribution to the peace process, as one of NATO's most important countries' and agreed to remain on close coordination, according to the presidency. They also exchanged views on feasible and sustainable security guarantees, the statement said, without further elaboration.
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Oil firms as investors await next steps in Ukraine peace push
LONDON: Oil prices rose on Wednesday as the American Petroleum Institute reported a drop in U.S. crude inventories and investors awaited the next steps in talks to end the Ukraine war, with sanctions on Russian crude remaining in place for now. Crude fell more than 1% on Tuesday on optimism that an agreement to end the war seemed closer. However, U.S. President Donald Trump conceded that Russian President Vladimir Putin might not want to make a deal. Brent crude futures rose 71 cents, or 1.1%, to $66.50 a barrel by 1207 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September delivery, set to expire on Wednesday, gained 84 cents, or 1.4%, to $63.19. 'It seems oil prices are thrown down one day, followed by a rebound the next day. The API report was on the positive side, so I assume some price support is coming from that,' said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS. U.S. crude stocks fell by 2.42 million barrels, market sources said on Tuesday, citing American Petroleum Institute figures, ahead of official data at 1430 GMT. 'Not so sure about the peace deal - will have to see if something moves forward over the coming days,' Staunovo added. Trump said on Tuesday the United States might provide air support as part of a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine. A day earlier, Trump said he was arranging a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be followed by a trilateral summit among the three presidents. Russia has not confirmed it will take part in talks with Zelenskiy. 'The likelihood of a quick resolution to the conflict with Russia now seems unlikely,' said Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ, in a note on Wednesday. Oil also found support from flooding at a large U.S. refinery. BP said on Tuesday operations at its 440,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Whiting, Indiana, were affected by flooding after a severe thunderstorm, potentially weighing on crude demand at the facility - a key fuel producer for the Midwest market.
