James Bond Producers Reportedly Are Coming Back To Idris Elba For the Role

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Idris Elba
Presenter Idris Elba poses in the winners room at the House Of Fraser British Academy Television Awards 2016 at the Royal Festival Hall on May 8, 2016 in London, England. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

There have been a lot of names tossed around for who should replace Daniel Craig once he retires as 007: Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hiddleston, Henry Cavill, or even David Oyelowo, who voices the character in the audiobooks.

But according to Esquire, the answer is clear: Idris Elba.

Back in 2014, emails released during the massive Sony hack revealed that then-studio co-chair Amy Pascal told a colleague, “Idris should be the next Bond.” But Elba has maintained that he will not play the world’s favorite spy, and in fact, thinks that it should be a woman.

But, new reports indicate that James Bond producers are leaning more towards the idea of Elba taking the role. The Independent reported that director Antoine Fuqua disclosed the details of a conversation with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, in which she said “it is time” for a non-white actor to take on the iconic role. Broccoli also said that she is certain the progressive move will “happen eventually,” according to Esquire. 

Fuqua and Broccoli also talked about who was in the running, and they said Elba was a reported frontrunner.

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