Idris Elba has admitted that stepping back into the shoes of DCI John Luther was "quite easy" - but making sure he conveyed the intense emotions of the script was a much greater challenge.
The British star, who began playing the hot-headed detective 13 years ago in the critically acclaimed BBC crime thriller series, has reprised the role for the first time since 2019 for the new Netflix film Luther: The Fallen Sun.
Written by the show's original creator Neil Cross, the film sees the brilliant but disgraced detective break out of prison to hunt down a sadistic serial killer, played by Andy Serkis, who is terrorising London.
Speaking at the film’s world premiere in central London about getting into the headspace for such a dark storyline, Elba, 50, told the PA news agency: "A lot of it is just getting into the script and the writing and the story and the why and the who.
"I think it’s written so well that it’s quite easy to step back in. What’s not easy is just making sure you’re hitting real emotions. That’s what the audience expects."
The actor, who was also a producer on the film, admitted there was "a lot pressure" to ensure they did not lose old fans with this project and also the desire to entice new ones.
"But when you love doing what you’re doing it doesn’t feel like work. We took about three years to get this right and get the scripts right and get the ingredients right, and I think we got it right," he added.
Also joining Elba and Serkis in the cast for the Netflix film are Cynthia Erivo, with Dermot Crowley reprising his role as detective Martin Schenk.
Serkis, who has played a number of darker characters, said his role as twisted billionaire David Robey, who secretly uses surveillance technology to manipulate and kill people, was one of his most sadistic yet.
He told PA: "I actually really did not want to play this guy because its right down there as the plumb the depths.
"But I actually had to take a step back and go, 'That is why you act, that is why I love acting, when you’re challenging not only the audience but yourself’.
The 58-year-old also revealed that he had looked to online incel culture as a reference point when researching the role.
He said: "I wanted to go further but obviously the dark web is a dangerous place to go, and once you enter into it’s one-way traffic and coming out of that can be very dangerous."
Luther: The Fallen Sun will be available on Netflix from March 10.
Source: Press Association
