Extraction 2 director on Idris Elba joining the sequel – and expanding the universe

Idris Elba in Extraction 2
(Image credit: Netflix)

Extraction 2 director Sam Hargrave has commented on the surprise arrival of Idris Elba in the Netflix sequel and what we can expect from his dynamic with Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake.

Long kept under wraps, the streamer revealed earlier this month that Elba would be making a cameo appearance alongside a back-from-the-dead Rake. According to Netflix, Elba is set to play the Man in the Suit, a "mysterious figure" who offers Hemsworth’s rough-and-ready mercenary an "irresistible – and perhaps impossible – mission."

For Hargrave, the Luther actor’s appearance not only helps deepen the world of Extraction – but also brings out another side to its leading man.

"We were very interested in the potential of expanding the Extraction universe and also wanting to surround Tyler Rake with really charismatic and unique actors who challenge him in different ways," Hargrave explains to GamesRadar+. "That character really does bring out a different side to Tyler Rake. He behaves differently in his presence compared to other characters’ presence."

"But that was just the character on paper," Hargrave says. "When you can embody that in someone as talented and charismatic as Idris Elba, then you've got a dynamite scenario. And putting those two on screen together, that chemistry is very palpable."

You can watch Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba collide on-screen for the first time since Marvel’s Thor series in Extraction 2, which hits Netflix globally on June 16.

For more from the streamer, check out our guide to the best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows you should be watching right now.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.