Luther returns! With John Luther, it's evident pretty quickly that in the pursuit of justice, it does not matter how blurry the lines get as long as the culprit is caught – anything goes. When we last saw the fan-favorite detective in the season finale of the BBC series, that exact unorthodox approach put the sleuth behind bars. Now Idris Elba returns to play the troubled detective in the highly anticipated feature film, Luther: The Fallen Sun, set for Netflix. As we build up to the release, the streamer has released an intense official trailer, a fitting tribute to this rogue detective.
The trailer opens with a vicious fight scene in a prison with Luther smack in the middle of it. Apparently, this riot is the one that sees the jailed sleuth regain his freedom much to the disappointment of DSU Martin Schenk (Dermot Crowley) – Luther’s former boss – and the detective tasked with finding him, Odette Raine (Cynthia Erivo). Straight out of the joint, Luther is struck with the weight of what pushed him out in the first place, a millionaire cyber psychopath and serial killer on the rampage. David Robey (Andy Serkis) is terrifying London, and Luther still sees himself as an arm of justice, “I’m still a copper,” he says. Sadly, not anymore. But when has such semantics stopped him before?
Now being hunted by former colleagues yet haunted by a villain from his past, Luther is set to do whatever it takes to see justice done. Perhaps, his escape from prison might be the reprieve the police need because, like a hound with its teeth locked into its meal, Luther will see the job completed because he “can live with what has to be done.”
Speaking to Netflix on what drives Luther, Elba explains, “This old case that he did work on that didn’t really ever get solved or put to bed creeps back into his life.” He adds, “And John just can’t help but find a way to get involved.” He also revealed an admiration for the man playing his nemesis. “This is where I fanboy out a little bit,” Elba said. “I love Andy Serkis. I think he’s just mind-blowing as a talent.” Serkis, who was intially taken aback by his character, is equally impressed by who he gets to share this stage with, “I was a huge, huge fan of the show. I’ve always been a big fan of Idris’s work,” the Lord of the Rings star said. “He’s such a phenomenally instinctive and brilliant actor and especially in this role, he’s extraordinary.”
Luther: The Fallen Sun is directed by Jaime Payne from a script by franchise writer Neil Cross. The feature film is produced by a team of Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, David Ready, Cross, and Elba. Luther: The Fallen Sun has both theatrical and streaming release dates of February 24 and March 10 respectively.
Watch the official trailer below: