The search is on for the next James Bond, but Idris Elba is making one thing clear. It won’t be him.
For years, Idris has been fan-cast as the iconic spy, but he doesn’t think the world is actually ready to see a Black 007. And based on these recent comments, it doesn’t sound like he’s ready to see that either.
The actor is against making James Bond “woke”
Idris is currently starring in the box office bomb, Masters of the Universe, and while promoting the film, he spoke to British GQ. They waded into those decade-old rumblings about him becoming the next 007, and he reiterated that those rumors were “never legit.”
“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” he explained. “James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it. And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that.”
He continued, “Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period.”
Amazon MGM has the rights to the 007 franchise, and director Denis Villeneuve is preparing for the next era of the decades-old franchise. Auditions kicked off last month, and although Idris isn’t in the running to play the lead, he did have some thoughts about how the next era should play out on screen. He wants them to stick to the source material.
“Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” Idris said. “I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.”
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