Andy Serkis’ malevolent millionaire serial killer David Robey is revealed in a new image from Netflix’s upcoming Luther film continuation, Luther: The Fallen Sun. Idris Elba reprises his role as DCI John Luther in the streaming service’s continuation of Neil Cross and the BBC’s psychological crime thriller series. Luther first aired in May 2010 to critical acclaim and has since continued for 20 episodes across five seasons, with season 5 having aired in 2019.
In a new image shared by GamesRadar, audiences are given their first glimpse at Serkis’ technology-using serial killer millionaire David Robey in Luther: The Fallen Sun. In the image from the upcoming Netflix film, Robey is dressed in a dressing gown in an expensive apartment, staring at his phone while standing beside a table with a broken statue on top. Check out the first look at the latest foe for Elba’s detective in the image below:
Everything We Know About Luther: The Fallen Sun
A potential Luther film was first discussed in 2012 by Elba and Cross before the release of season 3, which was then considered the show’s final season. Cross originally intended the series’ jump to the big screen to adapt Luther: The Calling, a prequel novel that he wrote and released following season 2, with the cast set to reprise their roles from the series. And though plans would change and the BBC commissioned further seasons, Elba and Cross continued to insist that the characters would feature in a film, with Netflix confirming that they would work on the film in September 2021 and Elba confirming production would begin in November soon after.
Following the announcement of the Luther film, it was also confirmed that both Serkis and Cynthia Erivo would join the cast. At the same time, Dermot Crowley would reprise his role of DSU Martin Schenk from the original television series. Filming took place across London and Brussels from November 2021 to April 2022, with Elba confirming that he had wrapped shooting during an interview promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In the film’s story penned by Cross, Elba’s detective sets out to apprehend Robey, who has used his expertise with technology to influence killings and has faced Luther before. While the story is set following the events of season 5, Elba confirmed that the Luther film is accessible for new viewers, as it is a standalone story that can provide audiences unfamiliar with the show with an excellent introduction to his character.
While it has had a long journey from television to screen, Luther: The Fallen Sun will finally allow Elba and Cross to bring their detective into his feature-length debut. While it seems plans have changed from Cross’s original plans to adapt his prequel novel to screen, Luther: The Fallen Sun still promises to be a thrilling installment for both existing fans who desire a new adventure, as well as Netflix subscribers who may be looking for a good jumping on point. And with the involvement of previous Luther creatives who worked on the television series both on-screen and behind the camera, Luther: The Fallen Sun is set to be one of Netflix’s most anticipated titles ahead of its March release.
