Idris Elba Set to Star in Movie About Philly's Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club

Philly, keep your eyes peeled for an Idris Elba sighting. The star is expected to shoot a new movie soon based on the city's famed urban cowboys, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office confirmed.

Elba is a producer and star of "Ghetto Cowboy," which is based on a novel about the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in North Philly. The novel, which is also called "Ghetto Cowboy," was written by Greg Neri.

He's producing the movie under his Green Door Pictures banner, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The Philadelphia film office said they had been working with the project for some time. 

"It’s a wonderful script and we can’t wait to get started," said Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.

Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club as been "a part of the Philadelphia community for over 100 years," according to its website.

North Philadelphia once had dozens of stables; now, Fletcher Street tries to honor that history while teaching young people about the responsibility and discipline that caring for horses requires.

Elba is best known for his roles in "Luther" and "The Wire" and movies including "Thor." He is set to play a bad guy in a "Fast and Furious" spinoff, "Hobbs and Shaw."

Elba is also the talk of social media right now after a UK publication reignited rumors that Elba was in the running to play James Bond. The hints sent Twitter into a frenzy.

Michael Eric Dyson, the Georgetown professor and author, Tweeted his support. "His acting chops are top notch; his ability to convey cool & sexiness is undeniable; and his swag quotient is incontestable," Dyson wrote.

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