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James Bond producer says 'it is time' for a black 007

Daniel Craig is signed for one more movie, but after that, does anyone have Idris Elba's phone number?

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Gael Cooper
2 min read
idriselbapacrim

In Pacific Rim, Idris Elba displayed the commanding presence required of James Bond.

Kerry Hayes, Warner Bros.

Anyone know how Stringer Bell likes his martinis? 

A report in British tabloid The Daily Star suggests actor Idris Elba, who played business-minded drug kingpin Bell in the acclaimed HBO drama The Wire, could be next in line to play James Bond.

According to the report, Bond series producer Barbara Broccoli told director Antoine Fuqua "it is time" for a non-white actor to take on the role of the British super-spy created by Ian Fleming.

Broccoli said "it will happen eventually," Fuqua told the paper.    

Eon Productions, maker of the James Bond films, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Elba's name has long been tossed around as an ideal candidate. The London-born actor, 45, has both the appearance (he's 6'3") and cool charm to pull off the role.

"Idris could do it if he was in shape," Fuqua told the Daily Star. "You need a guy with physically strong presence. Idris has that."

Elba also plays the title role in British crime drama Luther, voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia, plays Heimdall in the Marvel movies, and famously cancelled the apocalypse in 2013's Pacific Rim.

Elba himself has addressed the recurring speculation. Back in 2016 he called it the "wildest rumor in the world" and wondered if he was too old for the role. (Current star Daniel Craig is 50.) This January, Elba suggested the Bond role could one day be played by a woman.

But Craig, who's played the secret agent since 2005, still has one more film to make. He's returning as Bond in the as-yet untitled 25th film in the series, set to begin filming late in 2018.

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