Producers Reportedly Eyeing Idris Elba For James Bond Role
Recently it was announced that Trainspotting and 127 Hours director Danny Boyle will direct the upcoming 25th James Bond movie. Daniel Craig is set to return, despite reportedly having a particular dislike for the role. The biggest question remains: who will portray Agent 007 once Daniel Craig hangs up his silenced pistol once and for all?
According to a recent report from the Independent, producers of the James Bond franchise may soon have that answer.
Producer Barbara Broccoli has recently expressed interest in bringing Idris Elba to the popular James Bond series, as the first black actor to play James Bond, according to the report.
Director Antoine Fuqua stated that in a discussion with Broccoli, she indicated that it was time for a non-white actor to take on the role of James Bond.
Fuqua added that Idris Elba was being considered in part due to his physique.
“Idris could do it if he was in shape. You need a guy with physically strong presence. Idris has that.”
The next James Bond movie is not due in theaters until 2019, with another to follow it likely not coming until 2022 at the earliest. That daunting length of time didn’t stop movie fans and news outlets from buzzing about prospects of an Idris Elba James Bond in the future, as the topic is currently trending on Twitter.
Give the people what they want https://t.co/nApPgDePqt
— Esquire (@esquire) August 9, 2018
So far, seven people have portrayed James Bond over the course of 24 movies and all have been white men. The first was Sean Connery in the 1962 film Dr. No. Roger Moore later portrayed James Bond through most of the ’70s and into the mid ’80s, with Timothy Dalton taking over the role until 1989.
After an approximate 6-year hiatus, Pierce Brosnan resurrected James Bond in the movie Goldeneye and returned to the role three more times, before officially retiring from all James Bond work in 2002 with Die Another Day. Daniel Craig initially assumed the Agent 007 role for the 2006 film Casino Royale and went on to play Bond in Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre.
On a reported $300 million budget, the most recent James Bond movie, Spectre, grossed over $880 million in worldwide box office totals. It also spawned a hit song from singer Sam Smith. Alternative rock band Radiohead also later released a song they wrote and recorded for Spectre, but the song was not ultimately used in the movie.
Idris Elba recently played Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower and appeared as Heimdall in Avengers: Infinity War.
