Sam Nelson: Last News

Sasha Urban editorArchie Panjabi has joined the cast of the Idris Elba-led Apple TV+ series “Hijack.”The seven-part thriller series stars Elba as Sam Nelson, a businessman who is forced to step up to the challenge of saving the lives of passengers on a hijacked plane making its way to London. Panjabi joins as Zahra Gahfoor, a counter terrorism officer on the ground who becomes part of the investigation.

George Kay looks conflicted. Speaking to Deadline before the resolution of the writers strike, the British WGA member had put down his pen on an Amazon Studios movie project and ducked a U.S. publicity round for his Apple TV+ series Hijack. But it’s fair to say that the strikes coincided with Kay having a serious moment.

K.J. Yossman SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for the season finale of “Hijack,” which dropped on Aug. 4 on Apple TV+.

Idris Elba once faced a terrifying situation. In an interview with, the 50-year-old actor said that he'd once been held at gunpoint while trying to defend a man's girlfriend.«I nearly lost my f**king life after attempting to stop a man threatening his girlfriend outside a club,» he said.

next contender to be James Bond — but Idris Elba didn’t feel very suave filming his new Apple TV+ series “Hijack.” “Some camera angles are not sexy, man – especially on a plane,” Elba, 50, told reporters at a Zoom press conference.“Let me tell you, [director] Jim Field Smith has got the camera right up my nozzle. And I’m like ‘Are you sure that’s the angle, bro?'”Elba stars in and executive-produced “Hijack,” a thriller co-created by Field Smith and George Kay (“Lupin”) that tracks a hijacked plane on its seven-hour flight en route from Dubai to London. One of the passengers, Sam Nelson (Elba), is an accomplished corporate negotiator in the business world, and tries to step up and use his smarts to save his fellow passengers. Archie Panjabi, no stranger to plane mystery shows, co-stars as Zahra Gahfoor, a counter-terrorism officer on the ground.Elba, who said that he’s 6-foot-3, was interested in exploring new territory for this role. “I’m sure it’s all subjective [and] I’m sure I’m not good looking to everyone, but … with my size and shape, all my life, it’s been like ‘Oh, you’re a big lad,'” he said. “And I’ve taken roles that feed into that.

Idris Elba may jump into action in the new TV series “Hijack”, but in real life, that wouldn’t be the case.

Idris Elba is stepping out for the world premiere of his new Apple TV+ series!

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic It’s been more than 20 years since “24” first aired on Fox; its real-time conceit, with a relentless ticking clock moving characters toward collision, made it the kind of hit that’s difficult to duplicate. “Hijack,” a new drama on Apple TV+, doesn’t precisely aim for the sort of thrills and chills “24” generated, but it is indeed another real-time drama about a terrorist plot. Unfortunately, the central device doesn’t quite work, and “Hijack” ends up feeling like a flight to nowhere in particular. Here, Idris Elba plays Sam Nelson, a corporate type who finds himself at the center of international drama when his return flight from Dubai to London on the fictional Kingdom Air gets taken over by a group of armed criminals. They eventually gain control of the cockpit through blackmailing the pilot, proving their craftiness and the extent of their preparation; it falls to Sam to play quick-thinking action hero.

K.J. Yossman Idris Elba’s new Apple TV+ series “Hijack” sees him star as Sam Nelson, a top corporate negotiator who finds himself in the eye of a storm when the plane he is flying on is hijacked by a gang of ruthless criminals. Elba also exec produces the show, which launches on June 28, under his Green Door production banner. The project is a result of the actor’s first-look deal with Apple, which was announced in 2020. Sitting down with Variety in London ahead of the show’s launch, Elba said the deal has since expired but he’s already in talks to work with streamer again – including a potential return outing as Nelson. “I love Apple and we love each other and I think we’re gonna work together again, but we’re just not currently in a set up as official,” Elba says. “It’s nice having a production deal but there’s restrictions. And I feel like my career as an actor has been so random and different — why change now?”

“First-look deals are a lot of kicking tires,” Idris Elba said today, as he revealed his high-profile partnership with Apple TV+ has run down following the launch of psychological thriller Hijack.

Idris Elba does brilliantly, it's tense, high-action, gripping TV. The Luther actor is back to lead the cast of a brand-new show coming to Apple TV+ very soon and it looks like it's not one to be missed.

Hang onto your seats, for a seven-part thriller Hijack, starring Idris Elba.

Idris Elba wants you to buckle up.

Apple TV+ has released the trailer of the new real-time series “Hijack.”

X Ambassadors have signed a new deal with Universal Music’s artist services division Virgin Music. Alongside the announcement comes new single ‘Happy People’, the latest in their ‘(Eg)’ series of collaborations, this time featuring Teddy Swims and Jack Ross.“X Ambassadors are at a point in their career where they know exactly where they are going and what they want in a partner to help them get there”, says Virgin Music President Jacqueline Saturn.

K.J. Yossman Jamie Laurenson and Hakan Kousetta’s 60Forty Films has inked an overall deal with Apple TV+, Variety can exclusively reveal. They are already in production on upcoming Apple TV+ thriller series “Hijack,” starring Idris Elba, which they are producing alongside Idiotlamp Productions and Elba’s company Green Door Pictures. “Hijack” tells the story of Sam Nelson (played by Elba), an accomplished business negotiator whose quick-thinking, smooth-talking skills become crucial when the plane he is on is hijacked. Laurenson and Kousetta have worked closely with Apple for a number of years, including on Gary Oldman-starrer “Slow Horses” (pictured above) and “The Essex Serpent,” starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, both of which the duo lead exec produced.

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy winner Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) is set to star opposite Idris Elba in Apple thriller series Hijack, from Lupin writer George Kay.

Idris Elba is taking on a new role!

Idris Elba will play a hostage negotiator in Hijack, a new seven-part drama series announced for Apple TV+.The series will follow the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, according to a press release, with negotiator Sam Nelson (Elba) using his experience in the business world to attempt to save the lives of the passengers.Written by George Kay (Lupin, Criminal) and directed by Jim Field Smith (The Wrong Mans), who also executive-produced the series alongside Elba, the project forms part of the Suicide Squad actor’s first-look deal with Apple TV+ and his Green Door Pictures.Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta and Kris Thykier are also set to co-star.Elba’s Green Door has several recent TV credits, such as BBC2’s Idris Elba: Fight School, which launched in the UK last week, as well as Netflix comedy Turn Up Charlie. Earlier this year (February 22), Elba said that he is planning on “leaning away from the acting work” to focus more on his music in the coming years.The Luther and The Wire actor founded the record label 7Wallace in 2015, while he regularly performs DJ sets (including a slot at Coachella in 2019) and has released a host of solo and collaborative records in recent years.“Some may think, ‘Well, it will be the death of your acting if your music’s shit’,” the 49-year-old told Vanity Fair.

K.J. Yossman “Luther” star Idris Elba is set to star in and executive produce thriller series “Hijack” for Apple TV+.The seven-part drama will be the debut project to emerge from Elba’s first-look deal with Apple.

Luther star Idris Elba will turn hostage negotiator in a tense thriller drama series for Apple TV+.