Idris Elba To Star In The Next James Bond, But Not As 007?
Idris Elba has been rumored to be a part of the next James Bond film, but chances are he will not be seen as the new 007 for the next film. He could be playing a totally different character.
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While fans of Daniel Craig are still mourning the actor’s decision to step down as James Bond after playing the titular role across five films, the bigger concern is around finding out who gets to replace Bond next. As of now, there are many actors, like Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, Rege-Jean Page, and Tom Hopper, who are being seen as potential candidates for bringing to life the next iteration of the elite spy. Apart from them, actor Idris Elba was also strongly rumored to be in the race to play 007. But as per a recent report, while he will star in the next James Bond film, he is not going to play the protagonist.
In its recent report, The Sun has shot down the speculations that Idris Elba is set to be the next James Bond though the outlet assured his presence in the film. As per the outlet, the Thor actor has had “informal talks” with the studio and they have expressed their keenness to include Elba in the next Bond film. Reportedly, he will be playing an entirely new role in the film and will most probably be seen as the villain.
A source for The Sun said about Idris Elba, “He won’t be the title character, but they do recognise the amount of pull and respect he commands, and they want to work with him on a completely original character for the next installment.”
For now, all we can do is take this report with a grain of salt as it will be quite some time before there is any official announcement by the studio regarding the project. Recently, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli shared on BBC’s Radio Today that for the time being, they are not touching the prospect of recasting their titular character, and preparations for the next Bond film will begin next year. That would seem to suggest no final decisions have been made about Idris Elba.
At the moment, Idris Elba’s possible addition to the James Bond franchise is not the only tantalizing aspect of the actor’s career. Ever since the heartbreaking death of his character Heimdall in the opening minutes of Avengers: Infinity War, his fans have been hoping for the Norse hero’s return to the MCU. And Elba’s teasing the status of his character has only added fuel to the fire. In July, the Thor star told ComicBook.com that his character only “seemingly” died, and now that the multiverse is finally here, “everything is possible.” He again teased his return while chatting with Entertainment Tonight and stressed that Heimdall “still exists.”
Apart from his rumored addition to the next James Bond film, Idris Elba has other officially announced projects on his plate. Elba was recently made his DCEU debut as Robert “Milton” DuBois / Bloodsport in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. He also lead the critically acclaimed Western drama, The Harder They Fall wherein he played the real-life character of Nat Love, a former slave and American cowboy who is regarded as one of the most famous heroes of the Old West.
Idris Elba will be next seen as a desperate father of two teenage daughters on the run from a bloodthirsty lion in Baltasar Kormakur’s thriller Beast. He is also set to appear in George Miller’s fantasy film, Three Thousand Years alongside Tilda Swinton and was recently cast as the voice of Knuckles in the upcoming film, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Currently, the actor is busy filming Luther where he will be seen portraying DCI Jack Luther, a role he famously played in the Emmy-nominated BBC series of the same. Add the possibility of him appearing as a charismatic villain in the next James Bond and Elba automatically has the most envious list of upcoming projects in Hollywood.
