Omanghana
Idris Elba has revealed that he would be fully open to joining the James Bond franchise as a villain, years after persistent speculation linked him to the iconic role of 007 himself.
Speaking during a press tour for the upcoming film Masters of the Universe, Elba responded enthusiastically when asked whether he would consider playing a Bond antagonist now that official casting discussions for the next chapter of the franchise are underway.
“I mean, 100%. Bond is such an iconic franchise. Why not?” Elba said after joking that his answer might “haunt” him later.
The actor also embraced the idea of portraying a classic Bond villain, humorously mentioning that he would enjoy doing stereotypical antagonist behaviors such as “stroking cats.”
During the interview, co-star Camila Mendes pointed out that Masters of the Universe is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios — the same studio behind the James Bond franchise. Mendes jokingly suggested that Elba should simply “give them a call.”
Elba’s comments mark a notable shift in tone after years of distancing himself from rumors that he could become the next James Bond following Daniel Craig’s departure from the role.
For more than a decade, fans widely campaigned for Elba to become the first Black actor to portray Bond. However, the actor previously explained that the intense online debate surrounding the idea eventually pushed him away from wanting the role altogether.
Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, Elba admitted that while he initially felt honored by the speculation, the conversation later became dominated by racial discourse and backlash that he described as “disgusting and off-putting.”
In several interviews over recent years, Elba repeatedly shut down the rumors and insisted he had moved on from the possibility, at one point bluntly stating, “I’m never going to play that character. So, move on.”
The actor is currently promoting his role as Duncan, also known as Man-At-Arms, in the live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe directed by Travis Knight.
The film stars Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man alongside Camila Mendes as Teela and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 5.
Source: Omanghana
