Idris Elba is out of the running to become the next James Bond.
With Daniel Craig having bowed out after a fifth and final turn as Ian Fleming’s suave spy with No Time to Die, speculation is already rife regarding who will step into the tuxedo next.
And Elba, who’s been linked with the role for years, has seemingly ruled out throwing his hat into the ring — at least for now.
Speaking to ITV London Wednesday night on the red carpet at the opening gala of this year’s London Film Festival at the BFI Southbank, the Luther star said: “No, I’m not going to be James Bond.”
When pressed on whether he’d like to take the part on one day in the future, he replied: “Who wouldn’t?”
Elba was attending the world premiere of his new film The Harder They Fall, a Jay-Z-produced Western with an all-black cast, and responded enthusiastically to the idea of a first-ever non-white Bond.
“How amazing would it be to have a Black James Bond? It’s a sign of the times when we can stop talking about black, white, and color.”
Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page is one potential casting choice who could make that a reality, with the Londoner joining Tom Hardy and James Norton among the early favorites with the bookmakers.
Craig, meanwhile, has hung up his Walther PPK on a high, with No Time to Die millions over its opening weekend — the highest ever in the U.K. for a 007 movie.
Elba, meanwhile, is lining up a voice role as Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for 2022, as well as an appearance alongside Tilda Swinton in Three Thousand Years of Longing, the latest film from Mad Max mastermind George Miller.