It’s one of the more ludicrous slices of British TV entertainment, featuring amongst other macabre “delights” a killer who hides under peoples’ beds and a blood-sucking kidnapper. Idris Elba is the imposing figure who holds it all together as Luther, and now he is looking to take writer Neil Cross’s particular brand of mayhem across the pond to Fox, who have committed to a put pilot. The BBC version lasted three series, with Elba looking to make a one-off to possibly round off the character before reinventing him Stateside. Presumably he will star as well as executive produce alongside Cross.
In a recent interview Elba credited the drama with strengthening his profile after his Hollywood career threatened to derail, so this is a rather bizarre labour of love for him. Cross has named Columbo as an influence, though in my opinion it’s more like Dexter with its combination of extreme personalities, nasty violence and overheated plot developments. 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment and BBC Worldwide are banking on a hit. It should be right at home over there in a way it arguably never was sandwiched between DIY SOS and The 10 O’Clock News.
Source: TheWrap
UPDATE: The BBC have announced two “special episodes” of Luther to be aired in 2015. Whether these mark a swansong for the British production remains to be seen. Cross commented:
Ever since we said goodbye to John Luther on Southwark Bridge, there’s hardly been a minute when I didn’t wonder what happened next. So I decided to find out.
Shooting commences in March.
Source: BBC
