Selected career chronology
Credits Index
Major screen, stage, music, sport or broadcast work. This is a selected public-career index, not a complete employment history.
| Year | Title | Medium | Role | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Bramwell | television | Charlie Carter | IMDb |
| 1997 | Family Affairs | television | Tim Webster | IMDb |
| 1998 | Ultraviolet | television | Vaughan Rice | IMDb |
| 1999 | Belle maman | film | Grégoire | IMDb |
| 1999 | Dangerfield | television | Matt Gregory | IMDb |
| 2000 | Sorted | film | Jam | IMDb |
| 2001 | Buffalo Soldiers | film | Kimborough | IMDb |
| 2001 | Law & Order | television | Lonnie Liston | IMDb |
| 2002 | The Wire | television | Stringer Bell (2002–2004) | IMDb |
| 2003 | One Love | film | Aaron | IMDb |
| 2005 | The Gospel | film | Reverend Charles Frank | IMDb |
| 2005 | Sometimes in April | television | Augustin | IMDb |
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | film | Monty | IMDb |
| 2007 | The Reaping | film | Ben | IMDb |
| 2007 | 28 Weeks Later | film | Stone | IMDb |
| 2007 | American Gangster | film | Tango | IMDb |
| 2007 | This Christmas | film | Quentin Whitfield | IMDb |
| 2008 | Prom Night | film | Detective Winn | IMDb |
| 2008 | RocknRolla | film | Mumbles | IMDb |
| 2008 | The Human Contract | film | Larry | IMDb |
| 2008 | The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency | television | Charlie Gotso | IMDb |
| 2009 | The Unborn | film | Arthur Wyndham | IMDb |
| 2009 | Obsessed | film | Derek | IMDb |
| 2009 | The Office | television | Charles Miner | IMDb |
| 2010 | Legacy | film | Malcolm Gray | IMDb |
| 2010 | The Losers | film | Roque | IMDb |
| 2010 | Takers | film | Gordon Jennings | IMDb |
| 2010 | The Big C | television | Lenny | IMDb |
| 2010 | Luther | television | John Luther (2010–2019) | IMDb |
| 2011 | Thor | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2011 | Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance | film | Moreau | IMDb |
| 2011 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | video game | Truck (voice) | IMDb |
| 2012 | Prometheus | film | Janek | IMDb |
| 2012 | Mumford & Sons: Lover of the Light | music video | Man / Director | IMDb |
| 2013 | Pacific Rim | film | Stacker Pentecost | IMDb |
| 2013 | Thor: The Dark World | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2013 | Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom | film | Nelson Mandela | IMDb |
| 2014 | No Good Deed | film | Colin | IMDb |
| 2014 | Second Coming | film | Mark | IMDb |
| 2014 | No Good Deed | film | Executive producer | IMDb |
| 2014 | mi Mandela | album | Recording artist | — |
| 2015 | The Gunman | film | Barnes | IMDb |
| 2015 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2015 | Beasts of No Nation | film | Commandant | IMDb |
| 2015 | Murdah Loves John | album | Recording artist | — |
| 2016 | Zootopia | film | Chief Bogo (voice) | IMDb |
| 2016 | The Jungle Book | film | Shere Khan (voice) | IMDb |
| 2016 | Bastille Day / The Take | film | Sean Briar | IMDb |
| 2016 | Finding Dory | film | Fluke (voice) | IMDb |
| 2016 | 100 Streets | film | Max | IMDb |
| 2016 | Star Trek Beyond | film | Krall | IMDb |
| 2016 | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Dance Off | music video | Self | IMDb |
| 2017 | The Dark Tower | film | Roland | IMDb |
| 2017 | Molly's Game | film | Charlie Jaffey | IMDb |
| 2017 | The Mountain Between Us | film | Ben Bass | IMDb |
| 2017 | Thor: Ragnarok | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2017 | Guerrilla | television | Kent | IMDb |
| 2017 | Idris Elba: Fighter | documentary | Self — Presenter | IMDb |
| 2018 | Avengers: Infinity War | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2018 | Yardie | film | Director | IMDb |
| 2018 | In the Long Run | television | Walter | IMDb |
| 2018 | In the Long Run | television | Creator | IMDb |
| 2019 | Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | film | Brixton | IMDb |
| 2019 | Cats | film | Macavity | IMDb |
| 2019 | Turn Up Charlie | television | Charlie | IMDb |
| 2019 | NBA 2K20 | video game | Coach Ernie Ames (voice) | IMDb |
| 2019 | Wiley, Sean Paul, Stefflon Don feat. Idris Elba: Boasty | music video | Self | IMDb |
| 2019 | Stormzy: Vossi Bop | music video | Self | IMDb |
| 2019 | Idris Elba Presents: The Yardie Mixtape | album | Recording artist | — |
| 2020 | Concrete Cowboy | film | Harp | IMDb |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad | film | Bloodsport | IMDb |
| 2021 | The Harder They Fall | film | Rufus Buck | IMDb |
| 2021 | Coupledom | podcast | Co-host with Sabrina Dhowre Elba | — |
| 2022 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | film | Knuckles (voice) | IMDb |
| 2022 | Thor: Love and Thunder | film | Heimdall | IMDb |
| 2022 | Beast | film | Dr. Nate Samuels | IMDb |
| 2022 | Three Thousand Years of Longing | film | The Djinn | IMDb |
| 2022 | The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse | short film | The Fox (voice) | IMDb |
| 2022 | Idris Elba's Fight School | documentary | Self | IMDb |
| 2022 | Zootopia+ | television | Chief Bogo (voice) | IMDb |
| 2023 | Luther: The Fallen Sun | film | John Luther | IMDb |
| 2023 | Extraction II | film | Alcott | IMDb |
| 2023 | Hijack | television | Sam Nelson | IMDb |
| 2023 | Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty | video game | Solomon Reed (voice) | IMDb |
| 2023 | Hijack | television | Executive producer | IMDb |
| 2024 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | film | Knuckles (voice) | IMDb |
| 2024 | Knuckles | television | Knuckles (voice) | IMDb |
| 2024 | Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color | documentary | Narrator | IMDb |
| 2025 | Heads of State | film | Sam Clarke | IMDb |
| 2025 | Fixed | film | Rocco (voice) | IMDb |
| 2025 | A House of Dynamite | film | The President | IMDb |
| 2025 | Zootopia 2 | film | Chief Bogo (voice) | IMDb |
| 2025 | Our Knife Crime Crisis | documentary | Self | IMDb |
| 2025 | Heads of State | film | Executive producer | IMDb |
| 2025 | REPORTS FROM RESORTS | album | Recording artist | — |
| 2026 | Masters of the Universe | film | Duncan / Man-At-Arms | IMDb |
| 2026 | Above the Below | film | Jackson — release forthcoming | IMDb |
| 2026 | Above the Below | film | Co-director — release forthcoming | IMDb |
| 2026 | Pon Time Again (Club Remixes) | single | Recording artist | — |
| 2027 | Children of Blood and Bone | film | Lekan — forthcoming | IMDb |
| 2027 | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 | film | Knuckles (voice) — forthcoming | IMDb |
| — | Untitled Luther sequel | film | Detective John Luther — forthcoming | IMDb |
| — | This Is How It Goes | film | Director — forthcoming | IMDb |
| — | Untitled Luther sequel | film | Producer — forthcoming | IMDb |