Idris Elba has ruled himself out of playing James Bond so he can focus on his deal with Netflix, where he is starring in “Luther: The Fallen Sun”.
The actor, 50, brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming’s famed British spy on Tuesday while speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
“We’ve been working on the television show for about 10 years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so we’re here with the first movie,” he said when asked about his upcoming project. “You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I’m not going to be that guy. I’m going to be John Luther. That’s who I am.”
“Luther: The Fallen Sun” is scheduled to arrive in select cinemas on February 24, which is then followed by a Netflix release on March 10.
It is the follow-up to the British television series of the same name (2010–2019), which ended up running for five seasons.
Netflix also shared brand new images of Elba, back once again as DCI John Luther, who was last seen being sent to prison in the dramatic BBC series finale.
The action-packed teaser begins with Luther fighting with fellow prisoners before breaking out.
Once he gets free and back in the city, it appears a woman needs his help to get revenge on someone after doing something evil to her son.
His character is then heard saying: “I need to stop this man, I’m still a copper”, before being told by the armed forces if he doesn’t stand down they’ll “shoot him dead”.
The film’s villain is then heard saying: “John, I looked you right in the eye because I was curious and I wanted to know if you’d see it in me. Because that is who you are, isn’t it, the man who knows all about people like me.”
A few scenes after it ends with a close up shot of Luther saying “Let the nightmare come, because I’m ready”.
