By Ben Travis | Posted 28 Nov 2018

With nearly every new series of Luther comes the prospect of Idris Elba hanging up that big coat for good, and calling time on one of his most popular and enduring roles. Series 3 was originally meant to be the end of the character’s small-screen run, until Series 4, a two-part special, arrived in 2015. And now, a further three years on, Luther is back in business for Series 5, a four-episode run airing on the BBC around Christmas. Here's an exclusive new image of Elba in the new series.

Rather than hinting that DCI John Luther’s time is through, this time Elba is saying the opposite – Luther categorically will be back. “This season is not the end,” he confirmed to Empire in the upcoming January 2019 issue. “But there are some real changes that will happen.” What Elba doesn’t say is whether the next outing will take the form of another series, or that long talked-of Luther movie – something he says is certainly on writer Neil Cross’ radar. “Our ambition is it falls on the scale of Seven,” he hinted of their possible film plans.

Read more about the new series of Luther in the new issue of Empire, on sale from Thursday 29 November, marking the start of Empire 30. Read our list of the 30 Most Adventurous Filmmakers

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