Idris Elba Fuels James Bond Speculation on Twitter: ‘My Name’s Elba, Idris Elba’

As you may have heard over the last, oh, five to 10 years, Idris Elba may at some point in our lifetime play James Bond. The “Luther,” “The Wire,” and “Beasts of No Nation” star has long been considered a potential 007 once Daniel Craig’s decade-plus tenure comes to an end; in addition to being a highly respected performer, Elba would also be the first nonwhite thespian to take on the role. Craig has already confirmed he’ll return for one last go-round, but now Elba has fueled speculation that he may be next in line with a simple tweet.

“my name’s Elba, Idris Elba,” he wrote on Twitter early this morning, much to the delight of fans. Whether he was merely joking or hinting at something more official remains to be seen. At 45, Elba is just five years younger than Craig, who first took on the role of Bond at age 38; Pierce Brosnan was 42 when “Goldeneye” was released in 1995.

Many other actors have been considered potential successors to Craig, including Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy, and Gillian Anderson. Craig’s fifth and final 007 film, the 25th in the franchise overall, will be directed by Danny Boyle and is scheduled for release on November 8, 2019.