Luther: The Fallen Sun Features Idris Elba Making A Very Intentional James Bond Joke
This post contains spoilers for "No Time To Die."
As we all prepare to move into the post-Daniel Craig era of Bond movies, Idris Elba is a name that just doesn't seem to go away. For years, the now 50-year-old actor has been tipped as one of the most likely to take over the mantle of 007, even though in 2021 Elba admitted he's probably not going to be the next Bond. And with Craig's version firmly buried beneath a hail of ballistics in the finale of "No Time To Die," the rumor mill has once again started churning, even as Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson remain tight-lipped on who will be the next James Bond.
In the meantime, Elba has returned to one of his best roles with the new Netflix movie "Luther: The Fallen Sun." In what looks like a fittingly bombastic outing, considering the TV show's slow evolution from gritty character study to high-stakes action thriller, DCI John Luther breaks out of prison to take on Andy Serkis' "cyber psychopath" serial killer David Robey. And if you ask Serkis, Elba has no need for the Bond franchise. Speaking to Metro, the British actor said, "Luther is such a complex, deep character. In a way I actually think he's more perfect for Idris than Bond."
And it seems series creator and "Fallen Sun" writer Neil Cross agrees. For some time now, both Elba and Cross have harbored ambitions to turn Luther into a Bond-esque franchise, capable of spanning decades and hosting new actors as it progresses. Now, Cross has reaffirmed his commitment to Luther over 007 with a sly nod to the legendary super-spy in "Fallen Sun."
Cross's 'cheeky' nod to Bond
In Luther's first movie outing, there's a moment when the haunted detective is offered a martini, which he promptly turns down. That is, of course, the drink that 007 is famous for ordering "shaken, not stirred," and Luther's dismissal of it signals Neil Cross's belief in his own anti-hero as superior. Speaking to the Radio Times, the writer called this moment "an extended middle finger and a wink" at Bond, joking that Luther is overall a better character than Ian Fleming's super-spy.
And of course, Idris Elba himself was once again asked about rumors that he would be replacing Daniel Craig in the Bond series, and once again the actor played the whole thing down, telling the magazine, "Oh my God, no! I've been saying for years, no!" And as for the martini line, it seems the subtle dig at 007 wasn't lost on Elba who said it was, "a bit cheeky," and revealed that he asked Cross, "are you sure you want to put that in?"
Elba also remained slightly more diplomatic than Cross when asked if he thought Luther was better than Bond, saying:
"Not 'better', no. Luther's equally engaging, equally sexy and great to see visually. But Bond is from a universe where espionage was the way to capture. Luther is from the world where you bang on the door, 'Are you in there? I'm coming in.' I think Luther fits with a bit more of a modern-day bad guy as opposed to someone from the taking-over-the-world style."
Luther could never
Interestingly enough, Luther being so dismissive of a martini recalls Daniel Craig's first outing as Bond in 2006's "Casino Royale." When he orders the drink during a break in the big poker game, Craig's Bond is asked if he wants it shaken or stirred, only to reply with a curt, "Do I look like I give a damn?" With "Royale," Craig embodied a new type of Bond, playing the character as a tortured work-in-progress. This calls to mind the character of Luther, who's similarly damaged and operates outside of the rules.
All of which shows the Bond franchise is capable of doing what Luther does and arguably doing it better. "Casino Royale" intentionally went darker than any entry in the series before it, reinventing the character and producing what I think is the best Bond film ever made.
And while Luther remains one of Idris Elba's most successful and enduring characters, his hunting of a resourceful serial killer in "Fallen Sun" hardly positions his series as on the same level as the James Bond saga. The film is a solid thriller but also raises questions about just how many more times DCI Luther can get away with breaking the rules so flagrantly. In that sense, while Cross takes some friendly shots at Bond, the film itself is ultimately a reminder that 007 has done this kind of gritty thriller before, and has arguably done it better. Needless to say, "Fallen Sun" falls short of becoming one of the best Idris Elba movies, even though it's not without its charms.