Luther star Idris Elba says James Bond is "template" for the movie
The star has even teased that he could eventually be replaced by a different actor as DCI John Luther.
More than four years after he last appeared on the small screen, DCI John Luther is returning in a brand new film this year, with Idris Elba back as the maverick detective.
Luther: The Fallen Sun will arrive on Netflix at an as-yet-unspecified date in March, and ahead of the release Elba has been speaking about what lies in store for fans – including a reference to another iconic British character he was once strongly linked with playing.
"It’s not a competition, but I reference Bond as a template for the type of film we’re going for," the star said in an interview with Total Film magazine.
"John is a leading character in a film that he’s the hero of. That’s the comparison I’m making. Some films do them well – Bond is one of them."
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He also outlined his hopes that the film could kickstart a franchise with the same longevity as the iconic spy series, suggesting a different actor could eventually step into the role of John Luther in much the same way as the 007 mantle has been passed down on numerous occasions throughout the years.
"My ambition for it is to have that sort of scale, that reverence," he revealed. "I want people to be like: ‘Ooh! Luther, the first film? Wicked.’ And to continue that. And then maybe later down the line, when I’m too old, someone else will step in to play John."
Over five seasons of the TV show, Luther solved an array of brutal crimes in his London stomping ground, and the film finds him tackling his trickiest case yet – after he first must make a daring prison escape.
The official synopsis reads: "A gruesome serial killer is terrorising London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary."
The film will also see Dermot Crowley reprise his role as Detective Superintendent Martin Schenk, with new cast members including Cynthia Erivo and Andy Serkis, the latter as the main antagonist – a tech billionaire who uses surveillance technology to manipulate and kill civilians.
Luther will debut on Netflix in March 2022. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
