No Time to Die, which is set to hit theaters in November this year, will feature Daniel Craig’s final performance as the world’s most famous spy, James Bond. For long, James Norton was thought to follow in his footsteps, but now the tables may have turned in favor of someone else.
According to a report published by the British outlet Express, Idris Elba currently has a ten to one chance of landing the part, which is pretty high compared to some of the other actors he’s competing against. Speaking about the odds, Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said:
“Idris Elba has been there or thereabout at the head of the Bond betting in the last few years and we’re not yet ruling him out for the role.”
Elba’s meteoric rise to fame makes him a strong contestant for the role. In the past few years, he’s starred in the TV show Luther as well as film franchises like Thor, Pacific Rim and Fast & Furious. If chosen, he would become the first black actor to portray the secret agent on screen. Given how the civil rights protests in response to the death of George Floyd have increased pressure on Hollywood to promote diversity, it’s not unthinkable that execs may gravitate toward him.
Chances that we may see the first-ever female Bond are higher than ever before, too. As reported by Express, the odds of a female performer being cast for the role are currently twelve to one.
Based on a series of novels, the Bond franchise is one of the oldest and most profitable in all of entertainment history. With 26 movies made across more than half a century, the character’s narrative potential is all but inexhaustible. Like the British television series Doctor Who, the franchise gets periodically rebooted as every decade and a half or so, its lead is replaced by a younger actor capable of speaking to younger generations.
Do you think Idris Elba would make a good James Bond, though? Let us know in the comments section down below.