Netflix is reportedly paying $12 million for the rights to director Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nation," viewed as further indication of just how determined the company is to plant its flag on the movie business. Fox Searchlight and Focus Features were also bidding for the film, which stars Idris Elba.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the streaming service is planning a major awards campaign for the drama, which casts Elba as the commander of a guerrilla force in West Africa who takes a young boy under his wing, only to dehumanize him in the process of transforming him into a soldier.

Netflix has been making a hard push into original features, signing multi-picture deals with Adam Sandler and the Duplass brothers, and acquiring the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" sequel, "Pee-wee's Big Holiday" and "Jadotville."

Fukunaga ("True Crime") wrote "Beasts of No Nation," and produced it alongside Elba, Amy Kaufman, Riva Marker and Daniela Lundberg.