Heads of State

Play trailer

2:35

Heads of State

PG-13

2025

1h 53m

Action

Comedy

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

114 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

In the action-comedy Heads of State, UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) have a public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' "special relationship." But when they become targets of a ruthless foreign adversary, they must set aside their differences and begrudgingly rely on each other. After being shot down in Air Force One, Clarke and Derringer are forced to go on a dangerous, multinational run pursued by enemies intent on killing them. With the help of MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must work together to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the free world.

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Critics Consensus

Heads of State's lighthearted handling of geopolitics may be too cute by half, but the comedic alliance between Idris Elba and John Cena remains strong in this slick action flick.

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Audience Says

An action comedy that's presidentially suited for a comfy couch, Elba and Cena keep Heads of State light on its feet with effortless charisma.

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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

Aug 18

2.5/5

[Jon Cena and Idris Elba] bicker and blow away bad guys in a formulaic take from Nobody director Ilya Naishuller that has only a hint of the gonzo energy it requires to transcend its limitations.

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Danny Leigh

Financial Times

Jul 14

3/5

Like a gym-toned Laurel and Hardy, the mess they get themselves into is — broadly speaking — fine.

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Robert Levin

Newsday

Jul 14

1/4

There's a decent action scene or two, as far as it goes for low-rent action scenes in streaming slop. That's a pretty low bar.

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Marlon Wallace

The M Report (WBOC.com)

1d

From a plane sequence, to several shoot-outs, to a helicopter sequence involving a bank vault, to an epic car chase through the streets of Italy... this film has really fun and entertaining action sequences that are worth watching.

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Samantha Schuster

Cinéfilo Serial

Oct 27

3.5/5

It turns out to be an entertaining action comedy thanks to the charisma of its protagonists, who have good timing for both humor and fights. One of those fun movies to watch on Prime Video. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Ellen E Jones

Observer (UK)

Oct 7

Big, dumb action movies -- of which this is an adequate example -- certainly have their place, but the move to rebrand geopolitics as pulp entertainment is, I think we can all agree, not a particularly helpful development at this point in time.

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Sparks •

@Sparks9981 4d

Movie was great funny, action packed movie and just a fun watch people like to complain about anything and everything but this movie is just enjoyable and kept me glued to my seat The Whole time

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Jamie C

@NowYouKnow 5d

What a fun surprise of a movie, let all expectations go and enjoy the ride. Great chemistry between the leads and a wonderful supporting cast. This film has heart, reminding me of 80's action comedies. If you're looking for some well earned escapism with a few bigger than life scenes and laughs - you should give this one a real chance.

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Arvind P

@arvind2001 6d

i dont like this movie honestly. i totally agree with post https://critics.arvindya.cloud/review/heads-of-state-style-over-substance

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Jason S

@JasonSmith180 Dec 26

Really good, enjoyable watch.

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Aadarsh Nandkumar K

@aadarshkhule_16 Dec 21

Heads of State delivers sharp political humor with surprisingly heartfelt moments. The lead performances are charismatic, and the dialogue crackles with wit, keeping you engaged throughout. The pacing is lively, and certain scenes are genuinely clever, making it an enjoyable watch. On the flip side, some jokes feel predictable, and a few subplots could have been tighter to maintain consistent momentum. Despite that, the film manages to entertain without feeling heavy-handed. Overall, Heads of State is a fun, breezy political comedy that’s worth watching if you enjoy smart humor and energetic performances.

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Torin F

@nonlinearize Dec 19

HEADS OF STATE blends buddy comedy and action thriller tropes into a weak cocktail with flavors of tough guy bickering and an overblown "save-the-president, save-the-world" type story that is more annoying than it is entertaining.

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Ilya Naishuller

Director

Idris Elba

Sam Clarke

John Cena

Will Derringer

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Noel Bisset

Carla Gugino

VP Elizabeth Kirk

Jack Quaid

Marty Comer

Heads of State: Movie Clip - America's Nutter

1:01

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Heads of State: Final Trailer

2:35

Heads of State: Trailer 1

2:34

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Synopsis

In the action-comedy Heads of State, UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) have a public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' "special relationship." But when they become targets of a ruthless foreign adversary, they must set aside their differences and begrudgingly rely on each other. After being shot down in Air Force One, Clarke and Derringer are forced to go on a dangerous, multinational run pursued by enemies intent on killing them. With the help of MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must work together to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the free world.

Director: Ilya Naishuller
Producer: Peter Safran, John Rickard
Screenwriter: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Harrison Query
Distributor: Prime Video
Production Co: Big Indie Pictures, Amazon MGM Studios, The Safran Company
Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Strong Violence|Language|Action|Some Smoking)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2025
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

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