Bastille Day begins Paris shoot

Principal photography is underway on Bastille Day, an action thriller starring Idris Elba that is being directed by James Watkins (The Woman in Black).

The shoot will continue in Paris for four weeks before moving to London until mid-December.

The story centres on a rogue CIA agent in Paris who teams up with a con artist to thwart a terror attack.

It has been written by Andrew Baldwin, currently writing the next film in the Bourne franchise for Universal, and John Hodge (Trainspotting, The Beach).

Other cast includes Richard Madden, Charlotte Le Bon, Kelly Reilly and Jose Garcia.

Philippe Rousselet is producing via Vendome Pictures and Steve Golin, David Kanter and Bard Dorros are producing for Anonymous Content.

StudioCanal is fully financing the film, handles international sales, and will distribute Bastille Day in its territories: France, UK, Germany, Australia and New-Zealand.

Focus Features acquired North American rights at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Set on the eve of Bastille Day (July 14), young French woman Zoe (Charlotte Le Bon) intends to plant a bomb in Paris to make a radical political statement without hurting anyone but changes her mind at the last moment.

However, when US pickpocket Michael Mason (Richard Madden) steals her bag and dumps it at a busy Metro stop, he becomes the prime suspect when the bomb explodes.

Meanwhile, deskbound CIA agent Sean (Idris Elba) fresh from war in the Middle East becomes determined to find him Michael bring him into custody before the French authorities do - connecting Sean, Zoe and Michael in a race against time.