Idris Elba’s Luther: The Fallen Sun co-star Andy Serkis says the veteran actor has already played his perfect version of James Bond. Elba recently returned to the role of his intrepid detective John Luther, which he previously played across five seasons of the BBC crime drama Luther, which ran from 2010 to 2019. His most recent appearance in Netflix’s Luther: The Fallen Sun saw him face off against Serkis’ serial killer adversary. Over the years, Elba has also been regularly linked with the famous British spy, James Bond, proving a popular fan cast choice even before Daniel Craig departed from the role.
According to Serkis, however, Elba has already proven his prowess playing John Luther for ten years. In a recent interview with Metro, the Lord of the Rings star suggested that Luther is Elba’s “own version” of the infamous MI-6 agent, and the role suits him better than Bond ever could. Check out his comments below:
“Basically, Luther is his own version of James Bond. And it suits Idris so well. Coming to work with him on this was exceptional, because he’s lived with that character for ten years. When you’re on set and you’re looking into Idris’s eyes, you feel he’s so present, he owns it completely. Luther is such a complex, deep character. In a way, I actually think he’s more perfect for Idris than Bond, because you can almost predict what James Bond is going to do, but you can never predict what Luther is gonna do.”
Why Idris Elba Will Not Be The Next 007
Elba’s name has been spoken in connection with the role of James Bond for years now before Craig made his final appearance as the character in 2021’s No Time To Die. Over a decade, the Luther star became a popular option as a potential James Bond and has featured prominently in countless rumors. He was even named the favorite pick by Craig’s own 007 predecessors, Pierce Brosnan.
When rumors began to link him with the role, Elba initially seemed enthusiastic about the prospect, saying he “would be honored to play the part if it comes my way.” More recently, however, his interest appears to have lessened considerably, and he has made it abundantly clear that he is no longer interested in the role. Moreover, last year, he also admitted that he has grown tired of talking about it and now tries to avoid the topic altogether.
Beyond Elba’s waning interest in the role, another key reason Elba is unlikely to become the next James Bond lies in the producers’ long-term plans for the franchise. Bond producer Barbara Broccoli previously suggested when they do finally cast a new 007, it will be a 10-to-12-year commitment, which 50-year-old Elba would now be too old to sign on for. So while Elba will not obtain his official MI-6 license to kill on the big screen, at least he has managed to bring his own version of the character to life through his iconic portrayal of John Luther.
