Netflix Confirms New Luther Movie - And Brings Back Ruth Wilson After a Two-Year Wait
If you missed the chaos between John Luther and Alice Morgan, breathe easy. Netflix just confirmed a new Luther film is happening - and Ruth Wilson (movies and tv series) is back as Alice.
Idris Elba (movies and tv series) returns as the haunted detective, alongside Dermot Crowley (movies and tv series)'s stalwart Martin Schenk. Director Jamie Payne (movies and tv series) is back in the chair with a script from Luther creator Neil Cross, and filming starts in February 2026. The news was confirmed via Variety.
The "big fix" from The Fallen Sun
Fans loved the 2023 Netflix film Luther: The Fallen Sun. But there was a hole: no Alice. It felt like you could hear the silence where her wicked grin should've been.
That's what this sequel corrects. Wilson's return brings back the series' most dangerous chemistry - the push-pull between a brilliant cop who can't quit and the brilliant sociopath who won't let him.
If you're wondering how she's alive after Series 5: fair question. Alice went over a ledge in that finale and was presumed dead. But this is Alice. Staying dead has never been her thing.
What the team is saying
"Luther, Alice and Schenk are more than characters to me - they're family," Neil Cross said. "I never stop wondering where they are, what's become of them…and what horrors might be stirring in the shadows of London while Luther's not around. So we decided to get together and find out what happens next."
Director Jamie Payne added: "Neil has yet again, created a wonderfully dark tale to bring us all back together. It's a true joy to be back on the streets of Lutherland with the supreme talents that are Idris Elba and Dermot Crowley. I am also thrilled to be reunited with the brilliant and dangerous Alice Morgan played by the extraordinarily talented Ruth Wilson. Fans new and old are in for a treat!"
What's the story this time?
The logline is blunt: Luther is pulled back into service as a wave of brutal murders hits London, with no obvious link between victims. The hook? "But how can he save London when everyone on all sides seems to want him dead?"
That's pure Luther - blood on the pavement, London at a simmer, and a detective who keeps pushing even as the city (movies and tv series) (and his past) pushes back.
Why this matters if you cover movie news
- IP with staying power: Luther started as a BBC series and now lives as a Netflix feature franchise - a template streamers keep returning to.
- Creative core intact: Cross writing, Payne directing, and the Elba-Wilson-Crowley triangle restored. That usually signals continuity of tone and audience trust.
- Production timing: Cameras roll February 2026. No release date yet, which suggests Netflix will lock schedule after principal photography.
Key details at a glance
- Title: Untitled Luther sequel (Netflix feature)
- Cast: Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Dermot Crowley
- Director: Jamie Payne
- Writer: Neil Cross
- Production: Starts February 2026
- Status: No release date announced
If you need a refresher on how we got here, the BBC's series page is a useful quick lookup on the original run of the show: bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vk2lp.
Here's what this could mean: with Wilson back, expect the moral knots to tighten. And the question hanging over everything - how Alice survived, and what that survival turned her into - is the kind of reveal that can carry a whole film.
We'll update as production gets underway. For now, chalk this up as a smart course-correction - and a reunion fans have been waiting for.
