Luther creator teases chances of a sequel movie with Idris Elba on Netflix
"Is that the heaviest hint that’s possible to give without Netflix sending a trained assassin around to silence me?"
Ever since the Luther movie, Luther: The Fallen Sun, debuted on Netflix in 2023, Idris Elba and everyone else involved in the production has made clear their hopes for a sequel.
However, in recent months things have gone quieter, with fans still waiting to see whether Elba will be putting on John's coat once more.
Now, we've got our biggest hint yet that Luther will return in a sequel film sooner rather than later, and it comes courtesy of the character and the show's creator, Neil Cross.
Cross was speaking with us for The Radio Times Writers' Room, our video interview series in which we get to know what makes screenwriters tick, when he was asked the chances that we will see Luther again.
"There are extraordinarily strong possibilities you might see him again," Cross said. "Is that the heaviest hint that’s possible to give without Netflix sending a trained assassin around to silence me? Yeah, there's every chance you will meet him again."
The ending of Luther: The Fallen Sun hinted that Luther would be recruited by MI5, potentially setting up many different story avenues for the sequel.
At the time of release, Cross told RadioTimes.com that he would return to write another film "at the drop of a hat, adding: "We deliberately left the door more than ajar, it’s an open door. And it's also an invitation".
Asked whether any continuation of the franchise would be more films, rather than another season of the TV show, Cross said it would be, as that is "where [Luther] lives now".
While chatting for The Radio Times Writers' Room, Cross also spoke about his work on Spooks, Doctor Who, Hard Sun and The Iris Affair, with the latter being his latest project and a new Sky thriller series starring Niamh Algar and Tom Hollander.
It follows Algar's character Iris, an enigmatic genius who is by Hollander's entrepreneur character Cameron Beck, to "wake up" a powerful machine which could alter the future of humanity.
However, when she realises the danger of doing so, she steals a journal containing the device’s activation sequence and goes on the run, with a chase subsequently taking place across Italy.
Neil Cross's interview for The Radio Times Writers' Room will be available to watch in full on Thursday 16th October.
Luther: The Fallen Sun is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. The Iris Affair will launch on Sky and NOW on Thursday 16th October. Find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
Check out more of our Movies coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
