Netflix has been making serious strides into the movie business this year.

Already, it's acquired the rights to Jamie Dornan's next film, Jadotville, and are working on a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

They're even working on (groan) several Adam Sandler films as well.

Their next big feature release looks set to be Beasts of No Nation, the African-set war drama directed by True Detective's Cary Fukunaga and Idris Elba starring.

Elba plays an African warlord who takes a young child under his wing and begins to dehumanise him before turning him into a ruthless soldier.

Fukunaga wrote the screenplay and will produce alongside Elba. The deal is expected to cost Netflix somewhere in the region of $12,000,000 with the film being tipped as a potential Oscar favourite in 2016.

Netflix aren't the only VOD service trying to force their way into the local cineplex. Amazon co-produced Sean Penn's latest film, The Gunman, and are eyeing up several films to release under their banner.

The deal is expected to give Netflix exclusivity of Beasts of No Nation for a certain period, or possibly even a simultaneous release in cinemas and on Netflix.

Beasts of No Nation is slated for release in late 2015 / early 2016.