In 2005, Big Finish dropped the audio adventure, Luther Arkwright: The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, based on Bryan Talbot’s apocalyptic comic book series published from 1978.

Soon, listeners will be invited back into this fantastical world with an audio adaptation of the internationally acclaimed sequel, Heart of Empire (1999). The epic story centres around Luther Arkwright’s daughter Victoria (played by Georgina Hellier), set 23 years after the original tale!

The multi-award-winning David Tennant returns as the title role in The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Heart of Empire, alongside returning cast members India Fisher (as Queen Anne), Siri O'Neal (as Rose), Robert Jezek (as Karl), and Jez Fielder (as Harry Fairfax and Dr John Dee).

David Tennant said: “Luther Arkwright was introduced to me by Big Finish with the script of the first instalment. When I read it, I was captivated. There’s something very hypnotic about the world that Bryan Talbot creates. It was hugely appealing! What a treat that we’ve gotten to revisit this world and these characters.”

Bryan Talbot added: “After their great adaptation of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, I can’t wait to hear Big Finish’s production of the second story, Heart of Empire. I’m especially pleased that David Tennant is reprising his role as Luther Arkwright.”

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Heart of Empire is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition 2-disc CD box set (+download for just £15.99) or digital download only (for just £12.99) here.

The full-cast audio dramas in this box set, adapted by Mark Wright, are as follows:

Part One: Daughter of Albion

Part Two: Cataclysm 

This release contains adult material and may notbe suitable for younger listeners.

Director and Executive Producer Jason Haigh-Ellery said: “I’m so excited to be returning to Bryan’s work with Heart of Empire. I first came across The Adventures of Luther Arkwright in a small comic shop whilst at university. I was immediately caught up in the amazing world that Bryan created and the vivid characters that inhabited that world. It was truly ahead of its time. “It’s been wonderful working with the original cast. David, India, Siri, Robert and Jez have all shown such love for the original production and have enjoyed working with each other again after all this time. They are joined by new characters played by Emily Haigh, Georgina Hellier and Ahmed Hamad who all bring something new to the series.”

Producer Heather Challands added: “The Luther Arkwright series is so rich with material, spanning parallel worlds, involving supernatural powers, reconfiguring historical events and figures. It's just full to the brim with loud, unapologetic Sci-Fi.

“David Tennant has done many roles for Big Finish over the years, and has gone on to do so much since he last played Luther. It's wonderful to see him return to that role as Luther comes face-to-face with the daughter who he left behind...”

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Heart of Empire is now available to pre-order for just £15.99 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £12.99 (download only) here.

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release. From November 2022, new pre-order prices will apply for unreleased box sets.

To mark this triumphant return, for a very limited time, click here to get The Adventures of Luther Arkwright for 50% off! This offer ends at 23:59 (UK time) on 27 October 2022. 

Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.