Idris Elba confirms Luther movie is back on track and starts filming this year

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Elba's detective is back on the beat

Luther movie
(Image credit: BBC)

A Luther movie has been mooted for some time. Now, it looks as if Idris Elba’s tortured detective is finally hitting the big screen.

Speaking to Variety, Elba confirmed that – while things aren’t officially official – the Luther movie is very much happening.

"We go into production, fingers crossed, in September. I’m so excited about it, it’s been a long time coming," Elba said. "We’re very, very close to pulling the green light on production."

A long time coming is an understatement. A Luther movie has been talked about under various guises for a while now – as far back as 2012.

However, there was recently light at the end of the tunnel. Elba told the Radio Times back in 2020 that "the next step is to make a film" instead of a new season.

That step has been taken and, in the iconic words of the show, now what? No cast (beyond, presumably, Elba) has been confirmed and, unless we’re heading back in time then *spoilers* it’s up in the air whether Ruth Wilson’s fan-favorite Alice Morgan will be showing up in cinemas.

As a refresher, the fifth (and possibly final) season of Luther was a bloodbath. John’s new colleague was killed and Alice also fell to her apparent death – before her body disappeared. The series ended with Elba’s world-weary cop in cuffs. Hopefully series creator Neil Cross can invent a way for Luther to get out of his predicament and solving crimes around the capital once again.

Find out what else is coming with our guide to 2021’s movie release dates.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.