‘Luther’ Netflix film is an escape from the BBC’s “comically small” budgets
(Credit: Netflix)

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'Luther' Netflix film is an escape from the BBC’s "comically small" budgets

The writer of Luther has said that the new film version of the series is a move away from the BBC’s “comically small” budget. The crime drama, which stars Idris Elba, is now a feature film titled Fallen Sun and will be released in cinemas for a limited period on February 24th before it arrives on Netflix on March 10th.

The hugely successful TV series was originally aired on BBC One in 2010 and ran for five series. Elba has since said that he wanted this new film to offer a much grander product. “We have an incredible appetite to satisfy the audience that love Luther in its current form as a TV show, but also bring it into a new sphere with the film version,” he said.

Elba has long been discussed as a potential James Bond, an idea the actor appears unenthused by. “I don’t want to be controversial but people imagine me as Bond and that’s great, but I can’t wait for them to see me as Luther in this movie,” he continued. “Our ambition is to take it there.”

Elba has been trying to get Luther onto the big screen for years. The project turned out to be a “big challenge, economically,” but it’s finally happening. Speaking to the Radio Times shortly after Fallen Sun was announced, writer Neil Cross said: “What we’ve been able to do – having delivered every episode of Luther on budgets which are comically small – is to have a wider canvas and a bigger budget to tell the kind of stories that we’ve always wanted to be able to tell.”

Luther won Idris Elba a Golden Globe and three Emmy nominations. It also became an international hit for the BBC and remains one of the British broadcaster’s most successful crime dramas. This new film is expected to serve as an “epic continuation” of the much-loved TV series.

Fallen Sun follows Luther as he breaks out of prison to hunt for a serial killer stalking the streets of London. Elba appears alongside Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis and Dermot Crowley. You can watch the teaser trailer below.