Yahoo Movies Netflix's Luther movie features a "middle finger" to James Bond
The new Luther film has settled the debate on whether Idris Elba should play the next James Bond once and for all with a cheeky line.
Luther: The Fallen Sun contains a humorous nod to 007, taking aim at the spy created by Ian Fleming and most recently played by Daniel Craig.
In a scene of the film, Elba's protagonist is offered a martini – shaken, not stirred, probably – which he firmly refuses.
Related: Luther: The Fallen Sun saw Andy Serkis take on his darkest role yet
Saying no to Bond's drink of choice was like giving "an extended middle finger and a wink" to the 007 franchise, Luther creator Neil Cross told RadioTimes magazine.
For his part, Elba seemed to agree and reiterated he isn't going to take on the role next.
"Oh my God, no! I've been saying for years, no!" he said, adding: "The martini line is a bit cheeky, isn't it? I was like, 'Neil, are you sure you want to put that in?'"
Weighing in on a comparison between the two heroes, Elba said that Luther isn't "better" than Bond.
Related: Idris Elba teases being replaced as Luther
"Not 'better', no. Luther's equally engaging, equally sexy and great to see visually. But Bond is from a universe where espionage was the way to capture. Luther is from the world where you bang on the door, 'Are you in there? I’m coming in'," he said.
"I think Luther fits with a bit more of a modern-day bad guy as opposed to someone from the taking-over-the-world style."
Meanwhile, there hasn't been an update about who's going to rock Bond's tux in an upcoming film of the franchise.
Many names have been attached to the casting phase, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emily in Paris's Lucien Laviscount, though producer Barbara Broccoli recently clarified there isn't even a script for the new film and casting hasn't taken place yet.
Luther: The Fallen Sun is out now in select cinemas and will be released on Netflix on March 10.
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