Elba, Cena clash as world leaders in 'Heads of State'
The Prime Video film imagines Cena, 48, as a Hollywood action hero turned US President Will Derringer and Elba, 52, as army veteran and cranky UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke. The two "have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardises their countries' 'special relationship,' " a synopsis reads.
"But when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary — who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces — they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other."
Cena and Elba, who also executive produced the movie, previously worked together on the 2021 superhero film The Suicide Squad.
"Honestly, our time on screen is effortless. He brings the best out of me and, in his words, I try to do my best to provide an environment where he can shine," Cena said at the film's London premiere on Tuesday.
"I love the friendship nature of this film," he added.
The film is directed by Russian filmmaker and musician Ilya Naishuller, who said Cena and Elba brought a realness to their roles.
"They feed off each other as any good couple would, and they know how to argue together in such a way where this is the perfect combination of the American happy-go-lucky, optimistic president and the prime minister who is real about the job and how difficult it is," Naishuller said, adding he set out to make a summer blockbuster in the vein of the buddy action comedies of the 1980s and '90s.
"The goal was, I want to do an hour and 45 of the highest quality entertainment I can do and just do a crowd-pleaser and make sure that the people sitting at home on July the 4th are going to be united and having a great time," he said.
Heads of State also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the role of the pun-loving top MI6 agent Noel Bisset.
"It was really different, because it was a comedy. Most of the action I've done has been in drama and thrillers," Chopra Jonas said.
"I love my puns," she added. "I mean, listen, I love a good pun. You've got to be smart to be punny."
Heads of State started streaming on Prime Video on July 2.
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