Idris Elba Doesn’t Even Want to be James Bond

We have been hearing for years that, for some reason, Idris Elba should be James Bond. Personally, I’ve never gotten where it came from. Idris is a great actor, but have you ever seen him in something that made you think “Oh, wow, this guy would be a great James Bond!” I swear to god if you say Luther… Bond is a suave superspy, not a streetwise grizzled cop. The only thing Idris Elba has that makes him like James Bond is that he’s British.

Which is not to say Idris Elba would be a bad James Bond or I don’t think he should do it, I just think the only way to arrive at the idea that Idris Elba should play James Bond is if you start at “who is both British and black?” Chadwick Boseman is closer to James Bond in the first two acts of Black Panther when it’s still good than anything I’ve ever seen Idris Elba in, and he isn’t even British.

You know who someone should have talked to before everyone started yelling at each other about if Idris Elba should be Bond or not? Idris Elba. Because Elba told The Daily Mail that he doesn’t even want the job.

Today, Elba seems keen to distance himself from the intense speculation. ‘Bond is one of the biggest franchises in the world, and for that reason, whoever ends up playing it, lives it. You’re THAT character, and known as that character for many, many years. I’m creating characters now that can still live alongside Idris. Not ones that take over me and solely define me.’

It sounds as categorical a denial of the rumours as he’s ever given. He tells me he’s more excited about another action role – more anti-hero than hero. ‘The Hobbs And Shaw character Brixton Lore is brilliant. Awesome. I’d love to see that franchise up and running, but it wouldn’t define me,’ he says adamantly.

So there you go. Idris Elba isn’t going to be James Bond because Idris Elba doesn’t want to be James Bond. Also because he’s racist, which I’ve been told by Twitter is the only reason not to want Idris Elba to be Bond.