You’ve probably seen the posters by now. Idris Elba looking stoic, John Cena looking... well, like John Cena, and a title that sounds like a dry C-SPAN documentary. But honestly, the Heads of State movie is anything but a civics lesson. Released on Prime Video on July 2, 2025, it’s basically what happens when you take the "mismatched buddy cop" trope and scale it up to the level of global nuclear codes.
It’s a weird sell on paper. You have the British Prime Minister and the President of the United States running through the woods of Belarus. It sounds like a fever dream or a very expensive Saturday Night Live sketch. Yet, against the odds, it’s become one of those "surprising fresh" hits that people actually want to talk about at the water cooler.
What Really Happens in the Heads of State Movie?
The setup is pretty straightforward. Idris Elba plays Sam Clarke, a Prime Minister who is basically the human embodiment of a stiff upper lip. He’s a veteran, he’s serious, and his approval ratings are currently in the toilet. On the other side of the pond, you have John Cena as President Will Derringer. In a move that feels hilariously plausible for 2025, Derringer is a former action movie star who rode a wave of populism straight into the Oval Office.
They hate each other. Like, really hate each other.
During a state visit to the UK, a public argument breaks out at a press conference. It’s embarrassing. It’s a diplomatic disaster. To fix the PR nightmare, they agree to share a ride on Air Force One. Bad move. The plane gets shot down over Eastern Europe by a Russian arms dealer named Viktor Gradov, played with a sort of weary, menacing charm by Paddy Considine.
Suddenly, the two most powerful men in the Western world are paragliding into Belarus with no security, no phones, and a very angry group of mercenaries on their tail.
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The Cast That Makes It Work
If this were just Cena and Elba, it might have felt a bit thin. But the supporting cast is actually stacked.
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas: She plays Noel Bisset, a high-level MI6 agent who is basically the only person in the movie who knows how to actually finish a mission.
- Jack Quaid: Playing Marty Comer, a CIA officer who spends a good chunk of the movie just trying to stay alive in a Warsaw safe house.
- Carla Gugino: She’s the Vice President, Elizabeth Kirk, dealing with the political fallout back home while the President is missing.
- Stephen Root: He shows up as a morally ambiguous hacker. Because honestly, is it even a modern action movie if Stephen Root doesn't show up to make things complicated?
Why the Locations Matter
A lot of these streaming movies feel like they were filmed entirely against a green screen in an Atlanta warehouse. Not this one. Director Ilya Naishuller—the guy who did Nobody and Hardcore Henry—actually dragged the production across Europe.
They filmed the opening sequence, a massive chase during a tomato-throwing festival, in the village of Sospel in the South of France. It was supposed to be Italy standing in for Spain, but the 2023 strikes messed up the schedule. They also spent significant time in Trieste, Italy, and Belgrade, Serbia.
That "European road trip" vibe gives the Heads of State movie a sense of scale that most straight-to-streaming flicks lack. When they’re fighting Belarusian farmers or speeding through narrow Italian streets in "The Beast" (the presidential armored SUV), it feels heavy. It feels real.
Breaking the Action-Comedy Mold
Most people expected a carbon copy of The Suicide Squad, where Elba and Cena first showed their chemistry. But the tone here is different. It’s less "superhero chaos" and more "grounded absurdity."
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The movie makes a point of showing that while these guys are "Heads of State," they aren't invincible. Clarke is a former soldier, but he’s "out of practice." There’s a great scene where he tries to use a grenade and accidentally pulls the pin while it’s still in his gear bag. Derringer has the muscles, sure, but he’s "gym fit," not "running for your life through a forest" fit.
It’s those human moments that keep it from being a mindless slog.
The Politics of It All (Sort Of)
Look, nobody is watching a movie where John Cena suplexes a mercenary for its deep geopolitical insights. But the film does have a weirdly sincere message about NATO.
The whole plot revolves around a conspiracy to dismantle the alliance by sowing distrust between the US and the UK. The villain, Gradov, isn't just out for money; he wants revenge for a NATO operation that killed his father. It’s a bit cliché, but in a world where real-world alliances are constantly in the news, it gives the movie a tiny bit of weight.
Is There a Sequel Coming?
The ending definitely leaves the door open. Without spoiling too much, there’s a mid-credit scene involving Jack Quaid’s character that suggests the "global conspiracy" wasn't entirely dismantled.
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Amazon MGM Studios hasn't officially greenlit Heads of State 2 yet, but the "Fresh" Rotten Tomatoes score and the high viewership numbers on Prime Video make it almost a certainty. Director Naishuller has already mentioned in interviews that he’d love to explore more of the "agent" side of the story—maybe focusing more on Priyanka Chopra’s character.
Actionable Insights for Your Movie Night
If you're planning on sitting down with the Heads of State movie this weekend, here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Don't skip the credits: There is a specific scene involving a CIA safe house that you'll want to see if you care about where the story goes next.
- Watch for the cameos: Sharlto Copley makes a brief, blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance as a CIA officer.
- Check the subtitles: There’s a lot of fast-paced banter between Elba and Cena that gets lost in the explosions if your sound system isn't great.
- Look at the backgrounds: The "Warsaw" scenes were actually filmed in parts of Liverpool and London—it's fun to see if you can spot the British architecture hiding under the Polish signage.
If you enjoy the vibe of Nobody or The Nice Guys, this is probably right up your alley. Just don't expect a masterpiece. It's a loud, fun, slightly ridiculous summer movie that knows exactly what it is.
To get the full experience, make sure you have a Prime Video subscription active, as it’s an exclusive title. You might also want to re-watch The Suicide Squad (2021) first just to see where the Elba-Cena chemistry started. It makes their bickering in this film feel a lot more earned.