South African actor Sharlto Copley, famous for featuring in films like A-Team, District 9 and Elysium, will feature alongside Idris Elba in Universal's Beast. The survival thriller, being directed by Everest -fame Baltasar Kormakur, is currently being filmed in South Africa.

Copley joins the film's cast along with actors Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries. Based on an original idea by Jaime Primak Sullivan, the film has a script written by Ryan Engle, who penned Dwayne Johnson-starrer Rampage.

Elba will play Dr Nate Samuels, a recently widowed husband who returns to South Africa with his teenage daughters to a game reserve. But their journey turns into a fight for survival when a rogue lion, a victim of cruel poachers who now sees all humans as the enemy, comes after them. Copley will play the role of Samuels' old friend, Martin Battles. Halley and Jeffreis will feature as Samuels' daughters Meredith and Norah respectively.

Beast will be filmed entirely in South Africa in the rural provinces of Limpopo and Northern Cape and the city of Cape Town.

Will Packer and James Lopez are producing the project through their Will Packer Productions.

Beast will be released by Universal Pictures in the US on August 19, 2022.