Hijack and Luther star Idris Elba is teaming with factual producer Diene Petterle to launch production company 22Summers, we can reveal.
The company will initially specialise in high-end documentaries with a cultural bent but is also building a scripted department. First project on the slate is Erased: WWII Heroes of Color – the 4×60 series for Disney +, Hulu and National Geographic about the overlooked contribution of soldiers of color in World War II.
The co-production with October films, narrated and executive-produced by Elba, explores the conflict through the lens of black and brown experiences. It premieres on Disney+ today (June 10).
Elba’s previous production company Green Door Pictures and Petterle’s Drumroll Films are folded into 22Summers, which will look to be a full-service outfit, taking projects from conception through to delivery.
Jess Watts joins as Head of Development for Unscripted from Dorothy St. Pictures where she developed projects including Coleen Rooney, The Real Wagatha Story (Disney+) and Escaping Twin Flames Universe (Amazon).
Petterle was most recently Global Creative Director of Non-Fiction at Pulse Films. The International Emmy winner is also known for stints at Darlow Smithson and BBC with credits including In Cold Blood, Who Do You Think You Are? and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now.
Elba told Deadline: “Both Diene and I always look for the hidden layers in a story, the surprising ways in. In her EMMY and BAFTA winning work, she is always using humour and emotion to get under the viewer’s skin. I’m excited by the idea that together we can create a home for best-in-class filmmakers and make cinematic films that inspire and entertain.”
Petterle added: “I’m incredibly excited to be working with Idris, I’m a huge fan of his screen work but also his work as a filmmaker. There is such honesty and integrity in everything he does. The sky is the limit with him and that feels genuinely exciting. I could not ask for a better partner in this new venture.”
Erased: WWII Heroes of Color first debuted on National Geographic on June 3. SAG and Golden Globe winner Elba will be speaking about the series during the National Geographic session at the Sheffield Documentary Festival on June 14, 2024.
Thor and Sonic The Hedgehog star Elba is currently in production on Hijack season two. He is repped by The Artists Partnership.
