Idris Elba hints 'Luther' movie is moving forward

The British crime drama series Luther has amassed a cult following over five seasons, bringing viewers into a world of the passionate detective, perfectly portrayed by Idris Elba, and the complex Alice Morgan, played by Ruth Wilson. As fans of the series know, Elba has been pretty outspoken about his desire for the series to continue — specifically, as a film. And now? He’s teasing us about that possibility once again.

During a recent Zoom interview for his semi-autobiographical show The Long Run, Elba told the press that while there are no "formal" plans for another Luther series, they are this close to making a film.

"I've made it very clear that I'd like to see Luther come back as a film," he explained. "And I can tell you this, that we are this close to making a film of Luther." It may not be a confirmed cast, crew, and production start date, but at this point, we'll take it.[video_embed id='1990324']RELATED: Charlize Theron shares how she’s recovering after her latest on-set injury[/video_embed]

The BBC series, which has earned Elba a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and a Critics Choice Award, just to name a few, was created by Neil Cross in 2010 and wrapped up their fifth season back in January.

While speaking to the Metro newspaper in December 2018, Elba detailed his enthusiasm for the project to gain new life in the form of a big screen adaptation.

“Luther has all the ingredients to echo those classic films of the '90s like Seven and Along Came A Spider and I think what we’d like to attempt is use that as a blueprint to create it,” Elba said. “It will be more murder, more Volvos, more frowning Luther. Essentially we just want to try and take it to a much bigger remit and scale and perhaps international as well.” He also hinted at the time that that Neil Cross was “beavering away” on a feature script.

It seems Elba is ready to get back to work, following health challenges earlier this year. In March, Elba and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, tested positive for coronavirus. In an interview with BBC, Elba shared their unsettling experience, noting that he was "humbled to be alive" and had a new outlook on life.

Fortunately, the couple have since made a complete recovery, and joined forces with the United Nations’ IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) to launch a $40 million COVID-19 relief fund in April.

Elba will once again grace the big screen in Concrete Cowboy, coming to TIFF this September, and next year's The Suicide Squad.

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