Is Idris Elba the next James Bond? What has actor said about role - who will play the super spy next

Speculation is running rife on social media once more that Idris Elba could be the man to step into the shoes of patriotic killing machine James Bond.

Fans on Twitter have shared their hopes that Elba will be the next actor to take on the role of the super spy, replacing the outgoing Daniel Craig, who vacated the Bond job after 2021’s No Time To Die.

Countless names have been thrown into the hat since, and for a while it was believed that Elba would become 007. But what has the star himself said about taking on the part? Here is everything you need to know.

Will Idris Elba be the next James Bond?

To see a Black actor take on the role of James Bond would be considered a step towards greater diversity and representation in mainstream media, with many fans agreeing that having a person of colour play such an iconic character would be a positive and significant change, breaking away from the traditionally white portrayal of the character.

Idris Elba is one actor who has often been suggested by fans as being a good fit. Elba has a commanding screen presence and has demonstrated his acting range in various roles, showcasing the charisma, physicality and charm associated with the character of Bond.

Additionally, Elba's experience and success in both action and dramatic roles have shown that he has the necessary skills to handle the demands of the James Bond character. He has portrayed characters with a similar level of sophistication and intensity, which has resonated with audiences and made him a popular choice in the conversation about the next James Bond.

While the casting of Elba has been widely discussed and supported by fans, the Luther star distanced himself from the role earlier this year, so it doesn't look like he will be the one to step into the role.

"A lot of people talk about another character that begins with ‘J’ and ends with ‘B,’" he said while discussing Luther, "but I’m not going to be that guy. I’m going to be John Luther. That’s who I am.”

Who will be the next James Bond?

The successful candidate will become the eighth actor to play Ian Fleming’s iconic character, following Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.

There had been speculation that a woman could step into the role but the bookies’ favourites are all men, with ‘It’s a Sin’ actress Lydia West and ‘Gentleman Jack’ star Suranne Jones outsiders at odds of 33/1.

The decision on who will ultimately play James Bond rests with the producers, and they may choose to take the character in a different direction or cast someone else entirely.

Superman and The Witcher star Henry Cavill has been favourite to be the next Bond for months, but has now been edged narrowly into third place with odds of 11/4. He's no stranger to playing iconic British characters - he'll be portraying Sherlock Holmes again in the next Enola Holmes film.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson recently shot to the top of the actors most likely to become Bond, but he has now dropped to second favourite. Best known for playing the title character in the Kick-Ass films, Taylor-Johnson also starred opposite Brad Pitt in Bullet Train. He's now 5/2 to step into 007's shoes.

The new favourite to play Bond is James Norton. The Happy Valley and Grantchester actor looked comfortable in a tux in the BBC's McMafia series - one of the reasons he's tipped to play Bond, with his odds now just 9/4. That's a probability of 70 per cent.