From: Yahoo UK
Speculating as to who will be cast as the next Bond seems to be a constant popular obsession. Even though Daniel Craig has announced no plans to retire, and series producers Eon have stated their own desire to see him beat Roger Moore‘s record and play the role at least five more times, rumors persist as to who will replace him as 007 – one of whom is Idris Elba, the British actor who broke through with TV’s ‘The Wire’ and ‘Luther,’ and has since broken through in Hollywood, to be seen next in ‘Pacific Rim.’
Interviewed in promotion of Guillermo del Toro’s robots-versus-monsters blockbuster, Elba was asked directly about the Bond rumors by Digital Spy. He seems flattered, but not all that keen.
“It’s not something that I actually hope to come to fruition. It would be lovely if it did, but it’s a rumor.
“It’s actually like the will of a nation type-thing. I’m not a champion of myself to be James Bond, but there are so many people who say, ‘Hey, you’d be a great one. We’d love to see that’. That’s a great feeling for me. That’s such a national treasure for us in England, we love James Bond. To be considered as one of those actors who could play him is great.”
Elba was similarly gracious but not especially eager when asked recently about rumors that he might play another notable British icon, Doctor Who, telling the audience in a ‘Luther’ Q&A that he’d “look silly in a bow tie.”
Elba is not the first black actor to be linked with the role; prior to the casting of Daniel Craig, it was widely reported that Colin Salmon was in contention for the role, and it may be that he was passed over more because of his prior connection with the series (having co-starred as MI6 agent Robinson in ‘Tomorrow Never Dies,’ ‘The World is Not Enough’ and ‘Die Another Day’) than any concerns over his ethnicity.
‘Skyfall’ villain Javier Bardem also told Cinemablend recently that he had been offered the role before Craig, which would have made him the first Spanish Bond, but the actor “didn’t feel that it was the time for (him) to do something like that.”
For Elba, the matter of his ethnicity would surely come second to his own level of fame. After his TV success and his roles in ‘Prometheus,’ ‘Thor’ and now ‘Pacific Rim,’ plus rumours linking him toMarvel superheroes Black Panther and Luke Cage, it seems certain that by the time Craig finally vacates the role (which, again, may not be for some years yet), Elba will already be too big a star – much as was the case with Clive Owen, long speculated to take over from Pierce Brosnan, but too big a name once the opportunity came around. The same will undoubtedly be true of Elba’s ‘Prometheus’ co-star Michael Fassbender, also the subject of much fan-casting as a potential future 007.
