Express & Star

Black Country Tomb Raider star features in Eaten By Lions

A British indie comedy starring a Wolverhampton actor is set to be released on DVD next week.

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Antonio Aakeel as Omar and Jack Carroll as Pete in Eaten By Lions

Eaten By Lions sees Black Country star Antonio Aakeel star as Omar, a young man in search of his estranged father.

Speaking ahead of the film's release, Antonio told the Express & Star: "The film is a heart warming family story about brotherhood. It’s about identity. It has so many themes in it – it’s very universal. Everyone has suffered from grief and loss or who has been affected by the pressures of society will identify with it.

“My character is the lead, Omar, and the story is about him. After the death of his grandma, he and his half-brother go in search of their estranged father who is living in Blackpool.

"On their journey from Bradford, they meet comedians such as Johnny Vegas and Kevin Eldon. I don’t want to tell you too much though, you’ll have to go and see it.”

Director Jason Wingard said: “The story is essentially about the importance of family.

"I wanted the viewer to forget about incidentals such as race or disability and focus on the characters. It’s an attitude we applied to everyone in the film really.

"The story deals with big contemporary issues, such as class, diversity, disability, inter-racial relations, foster and adoption, sexuality, love, life and death in a sharp and often irreverent way.

"A comedy with heart without skimping on laughs.”

Antonio Aakeel with Alicia Vikander

The film had a wide cinematic release in April 2019 and also starred comedians Johnny Vegas, Jack Carroll and Asim Chaudhry.

Antonio made his screen debut in 2009 in hit teen drama Skins, before starring in the likes of Duty of Care, Dry the River, The Line of Freedom, Doctors, The Contract, Three Girls and more.

He took Hollywood by storm in 2018 as he starred in Tomb Raider, alongside the likes of Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas and more.

Eaten By Lions will be available on digital download on July 22, available to pre-order now and on DVD from July 29, available to pre-order now.

Additional screenings of Eaten By Lions are still taking place across the UK. For more information, click here.