Fans began speculating on who will replace Daniel Craig in the James Bond franchise years before he left. Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Lashana Lynch, and Henry Cavill have all been considered as prospective successors; nevertheless, Idris Elba is a name that keeps coming up when talking about the future 007:
Bond executive producer Barbara Broccoli stated Elba had not been ruled out as the franchise’s next lead in a recent appearance on the Deadline Podcast.
“Well, we know Idris, we’re friends with him, and he’s a magnificent actor,” Broccoli said. “And, you know, it’s been part of the conversation, but it’s always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat. I think we have decided that until No Time to Die has had its run and Daniel has been able to — well, we’ve all been able to savour, reap the benefits of Daniel’s wonderful tenure, we’re not gonna think about, or talk about anybody else.”
Craig first played Bond in 2006’s Casino Royale, and went on to play the character in four more films, the most recent of which being No Time to Die in 2021. Despite the fact that the film marked Craig’s final appearance in the franchise, Broccoli assured fans that Bond “will be back.”
During a 2015 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Idris addressed the Bond rumors, claiming that he had a low chance of landing the part.
“Honestly, it’s a rumor that’s really starting to eat itself,” he said. “If there was ever any chance of me getting Bond, it’s gone … Daniel Craig actually set the rumor off. About four years ago he said Idris Elba would be a great Bond and then it started to creep. I blame Daniel.”