American cinema chains are refusing to screen Idris Elba 's new film Beasts of No Nation because Netflix exclusively bought the film 's distribution rights for £7.8million . The country 's four biggest theatre companies - AMC , Regal , Cinemark and Carmike - told Variety they will not show the film about child soldiers in Africa . They believe the deal breaks the unwritten rule of waiting 90 days between the movie 's cinematic and home entertainment release . Netflix has said the movie will still get a limited run in 'selected theatres ' so it can be considered for the Oscars and other major awards . Exclusive : The distribution rights to Beasts of No Nation starring Idris Elba ( pictured ) have been bought exclusively by Netflix , prompting a furious backlash from America 's cinema chains . Based on the best-selling novel by Uzodinma Iweala , it stars Idris Elba as a warlord in an unnamed west-African country who captures a child soldier . According to the Guardian , the £3.9million film was shot in Ghana last year . 42-year-old Elba is currently in London filming the fourth series of award-winning British drama Luther , in which he plays the lead character . Netflix beat distributors like Focus and Fox Searchlight for the rights to his latest film because the its backers believed it would reach a much bigger audience online . One of the producers Amy Kaufman told Variety : 'This movie will have the muscle of Netflix behind it . 'It will definitely be seen by a lot more and different kinds of people through Netflix than it would have through a traditional platform . ' She believes the quality of programming on the site is altering people 's perceptions about the way they consume entertainment content . She added : 'It could be a game changer . This has the potential to change the way people perceive how movies and art are delivered to them . ' Netflix encountered a similar stalemate last year when it announced a partnership with Weistein Company and Imax on the 'Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon ' sequel . Star : Idris Elba ( pictured ) is back in London filming the fourth series of award-winning British drama Luther . According to Variety , independent chains such as the Alamo Drafthouse which has 19 theatres in Texas , New York and California has said it will screen the movie . Its Chief Executive Tim League said : ' I 'm agnostic about this sort of thing . I look at films I want to play and I play them regardless of the release strategy . ' ' I do n't look at myself as a competitor to Netflix . I think that argument is a little bit of a red herring . I watch a lot of movies at home , but there comes a time where I want to get out of the house . ' I look at cinemas as one of those options that compete with restaurants or baseball games or all of those things I ca n't do in my living room . ' Movie experts say Beasts could be shown in as many as 250 art-house cinemas . It is being directed by California-born Cary Fukunaga who was responsible for Jane Eyre starring Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell - and hit TV series True Detective featuring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey .
Netflix bought distribution rights for 'Beasts of No Nation ' for £7.8million . The film 's producers believe it will reach a much bigger audience online . But America 's one biggest theatre chains refusing to screen the movie . British star Idris Elba plays warlord in an unnamed west-African country . He is currently in London filming oneth series of award-winning Luther .