Idris Elba "Heartbroken" Over Nice Attack, Says Pulling 'Bastille Day' Film Was Right Move

Idris Elba sat down with Complex to discuss the Nice attack and explained why pulling his 'Bastille Day' film from theaters was the right move.

Photo Removed
Complex Original

Blank pixel used during image takedowns

Photo Removed

Following the tragic Bastille Day attack in Nice, France last week, the Idris Elba action film Bastille Day was pulled from theaters. "The film has been withdrawn from cinemas out of respect for the victims and their families," a StudioCanal spokesperson told the New York Daily News Saturday. Elba, in an interview with Complex's own Speedy Morman, elaborated on the decision to pull the film in the wake of the attack, which left more than 80 people dead and several hundred wounded.

"I wasn't a part of the process of pulling it," Elba told Complex. "I suspect, though, it's very sensitive. Of course it's called Bastille Day and it's a film that tackles violence, you know, on that particular day. I suspect the filmmakers were like 'this doesn't feel right to have out there.' It's insensitive. A lot of people were tragically killed and hurt. And, you know, obviously we don't want to look as if we're being opportunistic or anything like that."

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

"I'm heartbroken about that situation though," Elba added. "Not because I was in a film called Bastille Day at all, but more about, you know what I mean, the shed of innocent lives for a cause that, we don't even know what's that about." The forthcoming star of The Dark Tower also clarified that the film was actually made 2 years ago, meaning there's "no sort of correlation" between the attack and the film itself.

"I think it's a good thing that they pulled it from the theaters because it could come across as insensitive," Elba said.

Latest in Pop Culture