Idris Elba Returning for Luther Season 5 on BBC

Idris Elba is a big star these days, but after his breakout role on The Wire, the British actor/DJ really got to shine in Luther, the BBC series in which Elba plays DCI John Luther, a brilliant but morally questionable police detective, who specializes in the dark souls of serial killers and mass murderers.

After a seeming end to the series in 2015, it seems that Luther creator Neil Cross has found some new inspiration, as Luther is now coming back with four episodes for season 5 (or "Series 5"), with Elba and Cross both onboard once again.

Variety made the announcement that Luther season 5 is happening, with Cross telling the trade that, "Because we love John and wonder what he's up to... In the end, we picked up the phone to some old friends and asked if they'd like to find out what happens next. It turns out, they would. So that's what we're going to do. We're going to find out what happens next."

When last we left Luther in season 4, he and new Serial Unit recruit DS Emma Lane had stopped a violent cannibal killer, though Luther's psyche was becoming more and more strained in the process. As Cross indicated, there's more to the character's story to tell, and that's exactly what fans are going to get.

As Idris Elba put it: "I am thrilled that we have been able to bring it all together. I look forward to putting the coat back on."

Production is slated to begin early in 2018, with an air date TBD. The only question fans will be asking after this: Will The Affair star Ruth Wilson be returning as Luther's serial killer GF, Alice? Or will Luther be facing off against her successor, the methodical Megan Cantor (Transformers 5 star Laura Haddock)?

You can also catch Idris Elba on the big screen, reprising his role in Marvel's Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok this fall.