'Don't Make It Woke': Idris Elba Shuts Down Black James Bond Rumors, Warns Filmmakers

Idris Elba has officially shut down over a decade of casting speculation, stating that the James Bond rumors were "never legit" and "not a realistic thing." In a cover interview with ⁠British GQ's Heroes Issue, he said while the rumors were flattering, they were never part of official discussions and added that some global markets might not accept a Black James Bond as "that’s not what they like in their culture." Elba pressed a desire to keep the character's traditional, escapist appeal and asked future Bond directors to let the character be "pure" and "not make it woke". After Elba, current frontrunners for the new 007 include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Henry Cavill, and Theo James. The next installment is reportedly being developed with director Denis Villeneuve and writer Steven Knight.