One would think the chance to play cinema’s most famous superspy would be a no-brainer for any actor. However, series co-producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson say that’s not the case.
The half-sibling guardians of the 007 property explained to Variety that their search to fill Daniel Craig‘s tux continues — and, yes, Idris Elba‘s name has come up.
“He’s great,” Wilson said. “We love Idris,” Broccoli agreed.
However, 50-year-old Elba recently told The Wall Street Journal, “When I look in the mirror, I don’t see James Bond.”
Broccoli tells Variety she can understand the hesitation Idris — or any actor — might have about the role.
“The thing is, it’s going to be a couple of years off. And when we cast Bond, it’s a 10-, 12-year commitment. So [Idris] is probably thinking, ‘Do I really want that thing?’ Not everybody wants to do that. It was hard enough getting [Craig to agree],” to which Wilson added, “And he was in his early 30s at the time!”
“A lot of people think, ‘Oh yeah, it’d be fun to do one,” Broccoli says with a laugh. “Well. That ain’t gonna work … [I]t’s a big commitment. It’s not just showing up for a couple of months of filming.”
Meanwhile, even gambling oddsmakers have gotten in on the casting situation, placing odds on who will be the next spy with the license to kill.
Vegas Insider says The Witcher’s Henry Cavill is far and away the odds-on favorite, followed by a close scrum of other heartthrobs: Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page ranked second, slightly ahead of Idris, while Tom Hardy placed fourth and McMafia’s James Norton was a distant fifth.
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