Idris Elba Snaps Back About James Bond Casting
Idris Elba seems to have finally lost his patience for explaining that he does not plan to portray James Bond.
Ever since Daniel Craig announced that he was no longer interested in filming more James Bond movies, the list of actors that could potentially take over for Craig seems to be ever-growing. Now that Craig has finished No Time To Die, the main character of James Bond has yet to be cast in future films, and audiences seem to be clamoring for more from the franchise. British actor Idris Elba appears to be the fan favorite of the many names that have come up in recent years to replace Craig in the film series. Unfortunately for his loyal fan base, the actor is quite tired of hearing about the casting rumors and recently responded to them.
According to a report by MovieWeb, Idris Elba has gotten mad at reporters who constantly beg him for information about whether or not he will be cast as the next James Bond. The 49-year-old England native has gone on the record in demonstrating his disappointment in what he refers to as “lazy journalism” on the part of journalists who keep asking him about playing the most recognizable spy in the world, notably because he has no intention to portray the character onscreen. At this point, the actor feels that the question is moot and seems to be done answering it.
For James Bond fans, the unwelcome remarks by Idris Elba may be unsettling, but they speak to a larger truth surrounding the famous franchise. In speaking during an interview on the podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Elba remarked that he feels most of the time reporters are looking to trip him up in his words, offering questions about potential James Bond news as a form of clickbait. Elba is currently promoting his new survival thriller film Beast, thus, he has gotten a lot of questions about what comes next for the actor during his press tour. He will next be seen in Three Thousand Years of Longing alongside Tilda Swinton, which is due to be released later this week. The actor is also reprising his role as DCI John Luther in the upcoming film Luther.
Fortunately for Idris Elba, he is not the only actor being talked about with respect to the list of James Bond actors to take over for Daniel Craig. Vogue reports that the list of actors includes Regé-Jean Page, Henry Golding, Outlander favorite Sam Heughan, The Revenant star Tom Hardy, Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Tom Holland, Bodyguard Golden Globe Award winner Richard Madden, and Nope actor Daniel Kaluuya. Even though Idris Elba has been a favorite over the years, it is most likely that someone younger and less known may embody the super spy role. When Daniel Craig was cast as James Bond in 2006’s Casino Royale, he was 38 years old, compared to Elba’s age of 49. Since there has never been a non-white actor to play James Bond since its first filmed version in 1962, it may be time for the producers of the next movie to cast someone that reflects the diversity of the current environment.
