Idris Elba in digital form: London’s Big Dris set to star in upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 video game

Rumours continue to persist regarding Hackney born actor Idris Elba taking over the James Bond mantle, but one of Big Dris’ latest roles has been confirmed. Elba will be a featured performer in an upcoming expansion pack for video game Cyberpunk 2077, revealed to audiences during The Game Awards 2022 ceremony on Thursday night (December 8).

The expansion pack for the 2020 video game, titled Phantom Liberty, will play out like a spy thriller with Idris Elba included in the downloadable content for the game. Elba plays Solomon Reed, an FIA agent who has “an impossible mission of espionage and survival” according to developer CD Projekt Red, announced alongside a trailer for the content.

Elba won’t be the only celebrated actor in the new Cyberpunk 2077 expansion pack though; Keanu Reeves has also been confirmed by CD Projekt Red to undertake additional content too. Reeves’ involvement in the video game harks back to his original appearance as a character when the game was first released in 2020, leading to the “you’re breathtaking” meme conquering the internet at that stage.

No official release date for the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion pack has been set for 2023, though developers have confirmed the new downloadable content will be available on for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Those of us still using a PS4 might have to wait patiently once again, however.

Cyberpunk 2077 was met by incredibly high expectations upon its release, due to the depth of the game’s customization of the protagonist, sharp graphics on next-generation video game consoles and the inclusion of Keanu Reeves, including the actor being motion captured for his role.

However the game was plagued with bugs and game-breaking glitches for weeks after it’s release, leading Sony to take the unusual move of offering refunds to those who purchased the game digitally from the Playstation Store, shortly before removing the game entirely and revising their quality control procedures ahead of releases from there on in.

In the years since however, the game has seen a rise in popularity once more with a wave of patches and updates addressing the various problems the game had. CD Projekt Red hopes the addition of Idris Elba and the expansion pack will draw more people back to the futuristic franchise.