His highly anticipated film, Luther: The Fallen Sun, is slated for release in the coming weeks.
And Idris Elba has opened up about racism in Hollywood this week, revealing he no longer describes himself as a black actor and is instead focusing on just being an actor.
The 50-year-old film star shared that basing his career on the color of his skin has “put me in a box” as he tries to dismantle racism.
In a new interview with Esquire, Idris explained, “Racism is very real. But in my view, it’s only as powerful as you let it be.
“I stopped calling myself a black actor when I realized it was categorizing me. We have to grow. We must. Our skin is nothing more than that: it is just skin. excited about.’
‘I realized it put me in a box’: Idris Elba, 50, announced this week that he is no longer referring to himself as a ‘black actor’ in order to take the ‘power’ out of racism
The star went on to say that while he’s a member of the black community, he doesn’t emphasize it when it comes to his career.
Idris explained to the publication that his decision to become an actor was not because of the lack of diversity in the profession, but because it was a career in which he would thrive.
“As you climb the ladder, you’ll be asked what it’s like to be the first black person to do this or that,” he continued.
“Well, it’s the same as being white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first black guy. I am the first Idris.”
Back in 2020, Idris revealed that he experiences racism “as often as it breathes.”
During a live-streamed discussion about the Black Lives Matter movement, the actor said: “Success hasn’t negated racism for me. If you ask me about racism, it’s like asking me how long I’ve been breathing.”
His comments come after Netflix released the official trailer for Luther: The Fallen Sun starring Idris Elba.
It hits select theaters on February 24th, followed by a Netflix release on March 10th.
Power struggle: In a new interview with Esquire, Idris explained: “Racism is very real. But in my view, it’s only as powerful as you let it be.
Netflix also shared brand new pictures of Idris, once again as DCI John Luther, who was last sent to prison in the BBC series’ dramatic finale.
The action-packed trailer begins with Luther fighting with fellow prisoners before breaking out.
Once he’s free and back in town, it seems a woman needs his help to get revenge on someone after she’s done something nasty to her son.
Luther is then heard saying, “I’ve got to stop this man, I’m still a cop,” before the armed forces tell him that if he doesn’t resign, they will “shoot him.”
The film’s villain is then heard to say, “John, I looked you straight in the eye because I was curious and wanted to know if you would see it in me. Because that’s you, the man who knows all about people like me.”
Action: Netflix has released the official trailer for the highly anticipated film, Luther: The Fallen Sun, starring Idris Elba
Tense scenes then show Luther with a bloody face after the fight, saying, “He wants the world to think the bad dream has come true.”
Viewers then see Luther fight the villain in a London underground station before being retrained by armed officers.
It ends with a close-up of Luther saying, “Let the nightmare come, for I am ready”.
The streaming service previously took to Twitter to confirm that the highly anticipated new image will be called Luther: The Fallen Sun.
It was also revealed that the film, which will follow on from the dramatic 2019 series finale, will be released in March next year.
Combat: The action-packed trailer begins with Luther fighting with fellow prisoners before breaking out
Mission: Once he’s free and back in town, it seems a woman needs his help to get revenge on someone after she did something nasty to her son
It comes after Idris gave fans a taste of what to expect in the new film, revealing he will follow on from his “haunted” character being sent to prison in the 2019 finale.
He told Entertainment Weekly: “He did so much to bend the law, to catch the bad guys, that he ended up in prison.
“So that’s where we start the story. He’s thinking about what to do with his life.’
Meanwhile, Idris also spoke to Empire Magazine about the “dangers” of moving psychological crime fiction from television to film.
Luther is then heard saying, “I’ve got to stop this man, I’m still a cop,” before the armed forces tell him that if he doesn’t resign, they will “shoot him.”
New: The streaming service previously confirmed on Twitter that the highly anticipated new image will be called Luther: The Fallen Sun
He said: “It’s really dangerous to throw in a lot of money in the expansion from television to film and change the characteristics of the show for the moment.
“I wanted to make sure that despite a larger budget, we didn’t distort the parameters of Lutherland too much.”
Idris didn’t reveal where the film will be set, but did confirm the new film will be “breaking out” of London.
“We’re breaking out of the grim streets of London, we’re taking it a little bit outside of it,” he shared.
He is also serving as producer on the film, which is directed by Jamie Payne and written by Neil Cross, and will also star Andy Serkis and Cynthia Erivo.
Tense: Netflix has also shared brand new images of Idris, once again as DCI John Luther, who was last sent to prison in the BBC series’ dramatic finale
The TV series Luther began its first series in 2010 before ending with its fifth season nine years later.
The fifth and final season of Luther aired on four consecutive nights in 2019.
Idris announced he wrapped filming on the film earlier this year, telling LADbible, “The Luther film, guess what, we’ve finished it and we still have some finishing work to do on the film, but it’s almost complete.”
“We’re really proud of it,” he added.
Luther: The Fallen Sun hits select theaters on February 24, followed by a March 10 Netflix release.
Soon! Luther: The Fallen Sun hits select theaters on February 24, followed by a March 10 Netflix release