'Luther' takes a veiled dig at 'James Bond'

Luther creator Neil Cross sniped at the James Bond in the detective film.

During an interview with Radio Times magazine, the detective show creator and the film's writer Neil Cross called it "an extended middle finger and a wink" where the lead star refuses Bond's favourite cocktail, the martini, in the film. While quipped that Luther is better.

The 50-year-old responded on whether this film was for Bond's audition, "Oh my God, no! I've been saying for years, no!" before adding, "The martini line is a bit cheeky, isn't it? I was like, 'Neil, are you sure you want to put that in?'"

On the possibility of Luther bested Bond, Elba replied, "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.

"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."