MOVIE NEWS – One of the rumoured James Bond candidates has admitted he was never in the running to replace Daniel Craig as the next 007.

Actor Idris Elba has long been suggested for the iconic role of James Bond, now that Daniel Craig has retired. The truth is, however, that any talks have not been so formal.

Craig has had a phenomenal career as James Bond, from the instant-classic Casino Royale to the heartbreaking finale No Time to Die, but there is no official word yet on who will take up the mantle.

According to The Guardian, Elba is still getting questions about the well-spoken, affable spy. However, she’s over it now. She has stated that she is drawn to the Bond franchise. He even added that he is on good terms with the 007 producers. But he stressed that everything that has been leaked about this is just a rumour. “I can’t speak for [the producers], but from my perspective, there’s never been any sort of truth to any of it. It’s a compliment, and it’s an honour – but it’s not a truth.”

The James Bond casting rumours about Elba were predominantly a mass of fan speculation and wishful thinking. Even if they are enough to bring back Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man and Michael Keaton as Batman, they are unlikely to determine who will replace Daniel Craig as the next 007. Elba is busy anyway, playing in everything from a DCU project to Cyberpunk 2077.

So, who will it be? The exact amount of speculation that has surrounded Elba has surrounded Aaron Taylor-Johnson. There’s Taron Egerton from the Kingsman movies and Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page. Any of these three actors would satisfy fans. Moreover, there is no rush for a new James Bond. For the most part, Craig has been well-received in the character’s role, even if not all of his films have been similarly well-received. However, producers have indicated that they would prefer to see a younger actor in the role.

Nevertheless, fans’ enthusiasm will not be dampened until we find out who will don James Bond’s smart suit next.

The only certainty is that Elba won’t be the one to roll up to the camera and fire a single shot because he wouldn’t want the Bond role even if he were offered it.

At least Elba fans have recent and upcoming projects to choose from, as with or without Walther PPK, he is one of the busiest performers in the film industry. In any case, we’re curious to see who will be the frontrunner!

Source: The Guardian