Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin star in new ‘Concrete Cowboy’ trailer
The highly anticipated movie is set to drop on Netflix early next month
Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin star in the emotional new official trailer for Concrete Cowboy, their new Netflix film based on the Black horseback riding community in North Philadelphia.
Based on the nonfiction book Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri, Concrete Cowboy dives into the rich and layered world of the Black horseback riding community in Philadelphia. Elba stars as Harp, McLaughlin’s estranged father, who takes his son after being expelled from school.
The film also boasts a star-studded supporting cast, including Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint, and Clifford “Method Man” Smith.
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According to Shadow and Act, the film depicts “a frosty relationship” between McLaughlin and Elba’s characters and infuses an emotional story with the rich history and context of The Fletcher Street Riders.
The new film aims to dispel “the myth that cowboys only exist in the south or out west” by portraying the “vibrant Black cowboy subculture” that has existed in North Philadelphia for years.
The official description of the film reads: “When fifteen-year-old Cole (Caleb McLaughlin) is expelled from school in Detroit, he is sent to North Philadelphia to live with Harp (Idris Elba), his estranged father. Harp finds solace in rehabilitating horses for inner-city cowboys at the Fletcher Street Stables, a real-life black urban horsemanship community that has provided a safe haven for the neighborhood residents for more than 100 years.
Torn between his growing respect for his father’s community and his reemerging friendship with troubled cousin Smush (Jharrel Jerome), Cole begins to reprioritize his life as the stables themselves are threatened by encroaching gentrification.”
Per Shadow and Act, real-life members of The Fletcher Street Riders will appear in the Netflix film. Director and co-writer Ricky Staub reportedly “conducted two years’ worth of research to build relationships and get to know the community in order to authentically tell their story.”
It seems fans aren’t the only ones excited about the new trailer for Concrete Cowboy. McLaughlin shared the new video on his official Instagram page, telling his followers, “Come ride out with me,” before tagging his talented co-stars.
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The Fletcher Street Urban Riders have decades’ worth of history and are still going strong today. According to the official website for the non-profit organization, it “remains true to its mission in producing an alternative to outdoor leisure activity to the community and engaging urban youth in equestrian sports while teaching life skills, instilling discipline and promoting academic excellence.”
For more information on The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, head to their official website here.
Already hailed as a “career highlight performance” for Elba, Concrete Cowboy is set to drop on Netflix on April 2, 2021. Check out the official trailer for the film below.
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