Elba revives talk of playing James Bond
Idris Elba has once again thrown his hat into the ring to play James Bond – and this time he involved current 007 actor Daniel Craig.
The Luther star, 46, drove his fans into a frenzy by posting a selfie with Craig at the Golden Globes, with the caption “awks” (which is short for “awkward”). Also tipped for the role is Bodyguard star Richard Madden, who was hugged by Elba while the 32-year-old accepted the best actor in a TV drama award.
The star has previously refused to confirm or deny reports that he is considering the role.
Elba has been more candid, and has frequently teased fans about the possibility of becoming 007. Last year he tweeted: “my name’s Elba, Idris Elba,” along with a brooding selfie.
Elba has been a favourite to replace Craig since 2014, after leaked documents from the Sony hack revealed that Amy Pascal, co-chair of the company, put him forward. An e-mail from the executive simply read: “Idris should be the next Bond.”
Many have also said it is time for the first black Bond, with Barbara Broccoli, the producer behind the films, rumoured to have said it will happen “eventually”.
Other favourites to play the role include Tom Hardy, Poldark’s Aidan Turner and Tom Hiddleston.
Some fans have said it is time for a woman to take over the role, and Gillian Anderson helped stoke rumours on social media in 2016 by tweeting a mocked-up Bond poster with her as the star.
John Boyega has also been tipped by some as a potential first black Bond, and has hinted he may want to play the part at some point.
The forthcoming Bond 25 film, expected to be released in 2020, is likely to be Daniel Craig's last, after the actor said he wanted to “go out on a high note”. –