Just days after famed James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli suggested it was time to bring more diversity to the iconic spy’s lineage, actor Idris Elba is teasing fans with a playful tweet that has many wishing it were true.
Elba took to Twitter with an image of himself that read, “My name’s Elba, Idris Elba.”
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my name’s Elba, Idris Elba. pic.twitter.com/kEyyaVg8JX
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) August 12, 2018
While rumors linking Elba to the role have churned the rumor mill since 2014, fans are taking it as a hint that perhaps all that talk might be true for when Daniel Craig, who has confirmed to play 007 one more time, will leave the mega franchise next year.
Does this… mean what I think it means….. pic.twitter.com/Q1MPookHhW
— Red Betty (@LadyGouldian) August 12, 2018
You look good in tux too fella!
— 🦊The feckless fox🦊 (@freckledfox10) August 12, 2018
If you’re the next Bond, it will be the first Bond film I ever see 😁😍
— Jo (@joaemp) August 12, 2018
Are you trying to tell us something??? I’m at work about to stroke out!!!!!!
— Tessa (@CurtessaJacques) August 12, 2018
It’s happening pic.twitter.com/f1kS99ijTE
— Nicholas Tillotson (@nick_till32) August 12, 2018
In a report from the U.K. publication The Daily Star, director Antoine Fuqua says that Broccoli believes it is time to diversify the role and that if it does not happen now, “it will happen eventually.”
“Idris could do it if he was in shape. You need a guy with physically strong presence. [He] has that,” she reportedly said.
The 45-year-old Elba, best known for his roles in the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire as well as Luther and Star Trek, is no stranger to the rumors.
In 2014, Elba said of the potential role that it would be “an honor.”
“I mean what do we have to do here? We have to wear beautiful suits, drive nice cars, chase bad guys and date beautiful women? I dunno, sounds good to me,” he told CNN at the time.
Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan told the Radio Times in 2015 that he thought Elba would make a good Bond, although he later threw support behind Tom Hardy this past June.
Production on the upcoming 25th installment of the James Bond film is set to begin in December, Broccoli and EON Productions’ Michael G. Wilson told The Guardian earlier this summer.
“We are delighted to announce that the exceptionally talented Danny Boyle will be directing Daniel Craig in his fifth outing as James Bond in the 25th installment of the franchise,” they said. “We will begin shooting Bond 25 at Pinewood Studios in December with our partners at MGM and are thrilled that Universal will be our international distributor.”
Photo credit: Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland/WireImage
