Elba, best known for playing the ruthless but tragic Stringer Bell in The Wire has signed up to a six-part series with the BBC. Rather than playing a criminal mastermind, however, this time around he’ll be on the other side of the law playing the title character Luther, a “near-genius murder detective.”
“I’m really excited about playing Luther,” said Elba. “He’s a challenging and exciting character because he’s so complex. While he’s capable of great kindness and loyalty, sometimes he steps over the edge of madness – simmering with anger and rage.”
I’m glad to see Elba doing something that could potentially be interesting; Stringer Bell was an amazing television character, someone you could hate and sympathise with in equal measure. If Luther can be that interesting, it might elevate it above being just another detective show.
The show is shooting this autumn, and will be aired in 2010.