Luther to return.... revamped, in America?

Five years ago, in my very first author-interview feature, I spoke to Wellington-based crime writer Neil Cross about his then-latest book BURIAL, and his writing career. At the time a couple of the major accolades on his CV were a Man Booker longlisting for ALWAYS THE SUN, and praise for penning episodes of acclaimed British TV spy drama, Spooks after he added screenwriting to his skill-set.

In the five years since, Cross has become something of a storytelling juggernaut, as he's churned out movies, a variety of television dramas, and novels - all of which have tickled the fancy of awards judges, critics, and readers/audiences all over the world. He's been nominated for Emmy Awards, won the Edgar Award and the Ngaio Marsh Award, written for Doctor Who, launched a pirate drama with John Malkovich, and much much more.

Looking back on that interview in 2009, it makes me smile to think of Neil and my conversation about one of the projects he was working on at the time - a TV series idea for the BBC which would star a different kind of detective that meshed the Poirot/Holmesian intellect and insight of the classic British quirky cerebral investigator with the hands-on, physical quality, and passions of American hardboiled antiheroes.

That series became Luther, one of the finest television dramas in recent memory.

After three seasons (which garnered eight Emmy nominations), and an exceptional prequel novel (LUTHER: THE CALLING), fans still want more of Neil's writing and Idris Elba's acting.

There have been talks of a Luther movie. And hopes for a fourth television series. But in a surprising bit of news today, it seems fans will see more of Luther, just in a completely unexpected way: it has been announced that Neil will write and produce a US remake of the show (with Idris Elba also producing).

You can read a little more about this announcement on Deadline or the Stuff website. There will be more announcements soon. Big news on the crime fiction front - what do you think of the idea of a US Luther?