Idris Elba isn’t just taking himself out of the running to play James Bond in the new 007 movie – he says he was never in the race to begin with.
The Wire and Sonic the Hedgehog star commented on fan speculation that he may be the top choice to play the next live-action 00 agent during a recent interview with People. It’s a casting choice many have hoped to see Amazon MGM go with, but the 53-year-old actor made it sound like it’s not a possibility he gave much thought to.
“My name’s not getting thrown out, no way,” Elba said. “They’re going younger. And I wish them all the luck of the world. I can’t wait — it’s going to be amazing.”
Idris Elba. Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images.
He continued: “I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place.”
Amazon is on the hunt for the next James Bond, and Nina Gold, who previously helped bring in actors for Star Wars and Game of Thrones, is said to be leading the charge as casting director. There’s been no sign as far as who will take the spot in the Denis Villeneuve-directed film, but Elba is a name that has swirled in 007 circles for more than 15 years.
Despite the ongoing calls to see him suit up as 007, it’s never been a role Elba seemed particularly interested in. He already felt “too old” to play the character in 2016, saying the then-fresh rumors at the time were the “wildest in the world.” He outright said “no” when asked about the part just two years after that.
He told the Smartless podcast in 2023 that he considered it “a huge compliment” that so many people believed he could play 007. However, he said at the time that, when some chose to make the conversation about race, he started to find “the whole thing disgusting and off-putting.”
That didn’t stop chatter from kicking back up when former Bond Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo after No Time to Die premiered in 2021. It sounds like Elba wants to put the talk of Bond behind him, especially as he promotes his new movie, Masters of the Universe.
“Masters of the Universe was my thing,” he told People. “It was something that I watched a lot as a kid.
“To get to play Duncan and change him — make him to look like me — was a real treat. I got to be a bit comedic and big, so I went for it.”
While we wait for the new, untitled 007 movie to come to theaters, you can read about how to watch every film in the series in order. You can also check out what Spider-Man star Tom Holland had to say about rumors about his potential casting last summer.
Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
