Idris Elba set to return to TV with one-night Luther special

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With five of his movies slated for release next year - including the highly anticipated Star Trek Beyond and The Jungle Book - 2016 promises to be a big year for Idris Elba. However, the next time audiences will be able to see the British actor will be on the small screen.

BBC America have announced that it will air a one-night, three-hour special of Luther, which will see Elba return to his Golden Globe-winning role of Detective Chief Inspector John Luther for the first time in over two years.

The TV movie - which was originally planned as a two-episode miniseries - will see Elba's detective drawn back to the police force by a "cannibalistic serial killer that pushes him closer to the edge than he’s ever been." While Ruth Wilson won't be returning as everyone's favourite psychotic redhead Alice Morgan, Game of Thrones' Rose Leslie will play Sergeant Emma Lane. A fair compromise.

This is great news for Luther fans (if you're not already part of that contingent, you can catch up on Netflix now) who will no doubt be ecstatic to see Elba back in his trademark trench coat once more. But did it have to air on the same day as Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Time to start organising our entertainment schedules!

The Luther one-night special will air on BBC America at 9pm E.T. on December 17 2015, with a UK release date yet to be announced. For more great crime drama news and features pick up a copy of Crime Scene magazine- out now.

Amon Warmann
Amon Warmann

Amon is a contributing editor and columnist for Empire magazine, but is also a Film and TV writer for GamesRadar+, Total Film, and others. He has also written for NME, Composer Mag, and more, along with being a film critic for TalkSport. He is also the co-host of the Fade to Black Podcast, and a video mashup creator. Can also do a pretty good Bane impersonation.