Idris Elba has been trying to get a Luther movie off the ground for years, and it looks like it’s getting closer to becoming a reality. Jamie Payne, who helmed season five of the British crime drama, has been hired to direct the film, which is being developed for Netflix and the BBC.
Luther ran for five seasons on the BBC with Elba starring as DCI John Luther, a homicide detective with a brilliant mind. Elba will executive produce the movie alongside screenwriter and series creator Neil Cross, and production could reportedly begin as soon as this autumn, which would be great news for fans after a movie has been rumoured for years without much traction.
Elba has a strong relationship with both Netflix and the BBC. He appeared in myriad BBC TV shows from the mid-90s onwards until breaking out in America in The Wire, before Luther made him a household name in the UK. Elba previously starred in Netflix films Beasts Of No Nation and Concrete Cowboys, and will star in all-Black western The Harder They Fall, which will arrive later this year.
Payne is a safe but smart choice to direct considering he’s already worked on the Luther show before. His other credits include Doctor Who, The Alienist, and upcoming Apple TV+ sci-fi series Invasion.
It will be interesting to see how Netflix and the BBC collaborate on the Luther film. One assumes the BBC will release it in the UK, while Netflix will handle distribution throughout the rest of the world where the original show might not be as well known, but Elba’s star power should be able to drive views.
Elba has plenty of other interesting projects lined up. He’ll next be seen in James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad, while he’s also on board to star in George Miller‘s Three Thousand Years Of Longing. He also has a voice role on Monsters Inc. spinoff series Monsters At Work on Disney+.
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