Idris Elba is planning to ‘reinvent’ ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ for Netflix

Luther star Idris Elba has been chatting about his “incredibly daunting” new Netflix project.

The English actor will direct, produce, star in and produce the music for a fresh take on The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Set in 15th Century France, Victor Hugo’s classic 1831 novel has previously been adapted for the big screen in 1939 and 1956. It was most recently brought to life as an animated Disney movie in the mid-1990s.

Elba told Empire: “The film at the moment lives entirely in my brain. I’m very fortunate to have a classic tale to reinvent. So now it’s about how I execute it.

“I’m definitely taking on more than I’ve ever taken on in any other project, with the hats that I’m wearing. But, hey, man, that’s why I’m here. I’m an entertainer, right? I liken it to an athlete being asked to do a triathlon: okay, show me what you really got.”

Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Andrew Davies is also developing a new television adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame for ITV.