Idris Elba had his say on those persistent James Bond rumours, following the release of No Time To Die.
The latest outing for 007 marked Daniel Craig’s last stint in the role, leading to intense speculation over who will be named as his replacement.
Idris’ name has repeatedly cropped up in discussions, with Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy and Richard Madden also linked to the franchise.
However, chatting ahead of the release of his new Western flick, The Harder They Fall, the 49-year-old insisted that the rumours are ‘not a reality’.
Chatting to Metro.co.uk and other press, he was asked what his response was to fans who were hoping he would fill the role.
‘Well I would say… There is nothing to say,’ he laughed. ‘I mean, it’s such a nice compliment to be considered, in most people’s opinion, to be the next James Bond.
‘But that’s not a reality. So hey, it is what it is.’
The Wire actor is just one of the names that has been tipped to step into Bond’s super-spy shoes, with film bosses keeping tight-lipped on their choice for now.
But his mum already thinks he has it in the bag.
During a recent appearance on Capital Xtra, Idris acknowledged the rumours about Bond have ‘chased’ him for some time.
He said: ‘I know the rumours about Bond have always chased me. Listen, my poor mum is like “One day you’re going to get it!”
‘I was like “Mum, I’m good, I’ve got Luther”. I’m definitely doing that.’
BBC series Luther followed Idris’ maverick detective as he investigated gruesome crimes, and was last on our screens in 2019.
Spilling the beans on what we can expect from his return, he added: ‘The Luther film is definitely coming, I’m very excited.
‘For the fans that have watched five seasons of Luther, I owe it to them to take it to the next level, and that’s where the film comes in,’ he said in his interview.’
The Harder They Fall is in select cinemas now, and will be available to stream on Netflix worldwide from November 3.
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