For years, Idris Elba was one of the most popular names floated as a potential James Bond. However, the actor is once again distancing himself from the speculation, insisting that he isn’t going to play the iconic British spy, nor was he ever in the running to do so, despite multiple reports to the contrary.
Amazon MGM Studios recently started setting up auditions for the role, and weighed in on what he believes the future of the James Bond franchise should and shouldn’t be.
In an interview with British GQ, Idris Elba doubled down on his previous statements and set the record straight about speculations that he’s in the running to be the next James Bond. “It was never legit. It was always just a rumour,” the actor said, adding that he always thought the possibility of him stepping into the iconic role was “not a realistic thing.”
The rumor began sometime in 2008, after Barack Obama’s historic presidential election victory. Daniel Craig told reporters during a press conference for “Quantum of Solace, “If we can have a Black U.S. president, we can have a Black James Bond.” While Craig didn’t specifically mention Elba by name, he was at the top of his career at that time.
“I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, and African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period,” Elba explained.
The Actor Doesn’t Want A ‘Woke’ James Bond
Elba also opined that there’s no need to change James Bond, saying that the character is “so unrealistic.”
“A hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke. I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond,” he added.
Since 1962, six actors have played James Bond, the latest being Craig, who stepped into the role in 2006. Despite starring in five Bond films, Craig has repeatedly expressed how he wanted out of the role, and even once said he’d “rather break this glass and slash my wrists” in 2015.
Craig’s last Bond movie was in 2021’s “No Time to Die.”
Rumors Were Fueled Over The Years
Speculation about Elba was further fueled in late 2014 when an email from Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Amy Pascal was leaked. In it, she reportedly wrote, “Idris should be the next Bond.”
In a Reddit AMA that same year, one user asked Elba whether he’d take the James Bond role if it was offered to him, to which the actor responded, “Yes, if it was offered to me, absolutely.”
Elba further fueled the fire in 2018 when he tweeted, “My name’s Elba, Idris Elba.” Hours later, however, he told his followers, “Don’t believe the HYPE.” The tweet has since been deleted.
Idris Elba Has Repeatedly Refuted The Speculations
This isn’t the first time Elba shut down James Bond rumors. As previously reported by The Blast, the 53-year-old “The Wire” actor said he was in no way in the running to be James Bond. He said he was never an option, ever, and the studio will be going for a younger actor. “I wish them all the luck of the world, I can’t wait — it’s going to be amazing,” he said.
In 2023, Elba touched on the topic on the “SmartLess” podcast, saying that while he felt “complimented” by the rumors at first, he was later turned off by the idea because of the public’s reaction. While some liked the idea, others took issue with the possibility that James Bond might be played by a Black man.
“Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense, and I got the brunt of it,” Elba shared.
The Next James Bond
Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig were the six mainline actors who portrayed James Bond on the big screen.
In Mid-May, Amazon MGM Studios announced that it had begun auditioning actors for the next James Bond, but didn’t provide any other details. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right,” they stated.