Idris Elba could be on the shortlist to play the next James Bond

Longtime James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli is reportedly open to casting Idris Elba as the next 007. And with Elba saying long ago that he’d take the role and Daniel Craig ready to move on, it’s seeming more and more possible.

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“We know Idris … he’s a magnificent actor,” Broccoli told Deadline’s Crew Call podcast. She also noted that Elba has “been part of the conversation, but it’s always difficult to have a conversation when you have somebody in the seat.”

Elba has been down to take over the role of the secret agent for years. When asked by The Guardian in 2009 how he felt about the prospect, Edris replied, “Who wouldn’t like to play Bond? Do I think it will happen? No, but I’ve got what it takes to do it. I can run around, flirt with ladies and drink. Plus, I’m English.”

This may be the perfect time for Elba. Craig has wanted to pass the Bond torch on for a long time, according to an interview with fellow Skyfall actor Javier Bardem. “I felt like I needed to end what I did on it…” Craig says. “Someone else would have to come along and invent something completely different.”