The first look of Idris Elba for the upcoming movie Luther. The movie is based on the DCI John Luther series created by former Head of Drama and Scripted Content Development at ITV, Neil Cross. The movie will put Elba back into the lead role of Luther, a near-genius murder detective in London who is haunted by the ghosts of his past. It follows John Luther, a detective who is drawn to the darkness of the crimes he investigates. Luther is a man who lives with his own “personal demons.” He’s a dedicated and brilliant detective with the emotional sensitivity of a teaspoon.
What was the series all about?
Luther was based on the eponymous DCI John Luther, a near-genius murder detective in London who is haunted by the ghosts of his past. He can empathize with serial killers and their victims but doesn’t have the stomach for victims’ innocent family members. He follows his own moral code and is willing to bend—or break—the rules if it means getting results. Luther is haunted by the ghost of Alice Morgan, a murderer who he initially failed to catch and who eventually escaped.
Who was in the cast and crew?
- DCI John Luther as Idris Elba
- Alice Morgan as Ruth Wilson
- DCI Ian Reed as Steven Mackintosh
- Zoe Luther as Indira Varma
- Mark North as Paul McGann
- DSU Rose Teller as Saskia Reeves
- DS Justin Ripley as Warren Brown
- DCI/DSU Martin Schenk as Dermot Crowley
- DS/DCI Erin Gray as Nikki Amuka-Bird
- Jenny Jones as Aimee-Ffion Edwards
- Baba as Pam Ferris
- Toby Kent as David Dawson
- Mary Day as Sienna Guillory
- DSU George Stark as David O’Hara
- DS Benny Silver as Michael Smiley
- DCI Theo Bloom as Darren Boyd
- DS Emma Lane as Rose Leslie
- Megan Cantor as Laura Haddock
- George Cornelius as Patrick Malahide
- DS Catherine Halliday as Wunmi Mosaku
- Jeremy Lake as Enzo Cilenti
- Vivien Lake as Hermione Norris
- Palmer as Anthony Howell
What was the story of the series?
The first season of Luther consisted of three episodes, though in international distribution the third is divided into two parts. It was shot on location in London and was broadcast on BBC One. It had a running time of one hour and is one of the most expensive productions ever made by the BBC. John Luther is a detective chief inspector who’s spent his entire career working for the Serious Crime Unit. He’s lost many people to murder: his wife, his daughter, and even some cases he never had a chance to solve.
What makes the series so interesting?
The series deals with the role of forgiveness in Luther’s life. He has no problem confronting killers who have evaded previous justice, but he’s got a lot of difficulties dealing with the families of victims whose cases he resolves successfully. It also focuses on his intense dedication to crime-solving and how it often comes at the cost of his personal life.
What was the realistic feel about?
The realistic feel about Luther is that it does not feel like a classic cop show. There are not any sidekicks, there is no huge conspiracy and Luther doesn’t meet an occasional love interest. He’s just following his gut instinct and how he deals with it. The setting is realistic, the characters are also realistic, and the crimes they solve aren’t something you see every day.
