Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ is a crime thriller film written by Neil Cross and directed by Jamie Payne. It is based on the BBC series ‘Luther’ and takes place after the conclusion of its fifth season. In the film, Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (Idris Elba) investigates a series of grueling murders in London. As a result, Luther comes across the sadistic serial killer David Robey, and an enthralling cat-and-mouse game ensues between the two. Given the film’s return to the dark and violent world of DCI John Luther, viewers must wonder if the police officer will take more such hard-hitting cases. If you are looking for details about a potential sequel to ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun,’ here is everything we know in that regard!
Will There Be a Luther: The Fallen Sun 2?
‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ was released on March 10, 2023, on Netflix. The film has a running time of 129 minutes and received a limited theatrical release on February 24, 2023, roughly two weeks before its streaming debut. It has received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with praise for its action and performances. In contrast, the screenplay and handling of the transition from a television series to a film received criticism.
The film is a continuation of the television series that aired on BBC from 2010 to 2019. It is a co-production between BBC Film and Chernin Entertainment, with Netflix holding exclusive distribution rights to the movie. However, at present, Netflix has not announced plans for a sequel. Nonetheless, it is still early days, and the streaming giant will likely assess the first installment’s performance before deciding on the franchise’s future.
Series creator Neil Cross (‘The Mosquito Coast‘), who also penned the screenplay for the film, has expressed an interest in continuing the franchise in the form of movies. In an interview, Cross confirmed that the television series has concluded, and any future creations featuring the character of John Luther will almost certainly be films. Similarly, actor Idris Elba (‘The Suicide Squad‘) has also expressed interest in reprising his role as DCI John Luther for future franchise installments.
Speaking on the BBC’s ‘The One Show,’ Elba stated that he wished for the movie to pave the way for a franchise. “We do have the ambition to take it into a franchise because now that you’ve got a film landscape, you’ve got bigger budgets, but also, you’ve just got more stories we can tell,” he said. Therefore, with the series creator and lead star onboard to reprise their duties, the chances of a sequel to ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ materializing seem pretty high.
However, Netflix is likely to have the final say in the franchise’s fate. If the first installment exceeds Netflix’s viewership expectations, a sequel could be greenlit in the coming months. Given Elba’s busy schedule, years may pass before the second installment comes to fruition. Nonetheless, if a sequel is announced by the year’s end, production could occur sometime in 2024. As a result, ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun 2’ could arrive on our screens in Q1 of 2025 at the earliest.
Elba will undoubtedly be the first name on the call sheet if a sequel is announced. Cynthia Erivo (DCI Odette Raine), Dermot Crowley (Martin Schenk), and Lauryn Ajufo (Anya Raine) are likely to return for the second installment. Similarly, Andy Serkis might return as David Robey, given his character’s ominous fate at the end of the first movie. Would could see some new faces, including the reveal of The Chief’s identity. Meanwhile, actress Ruth Wilson who appears as Alice Morgan in the television series, could also reprise her role.
‘Luther: The Fallen Sun 2’ is likely to explore Luther’s time with the secret government organization that recruits him during the first film’s final moments. As a result, we could meet The Chief and their unit in the sequel. Consequently, Luther will be drawn into another deadly physiological game that will test his limits as a human and an agent. Moreover, corpses from Luther’s past could also return to torment the former cop as he tries to restore his image.
Read More: Where Was Luther: The Fallen Sun Filmed?
