Could James Bond Be Played by Idris Elba? Producers Say He's Too Old

Fans of Idris Elba have long pushed for the British actor to play the next James Bond, and 007 producers reportedly agree that he'd be great. Still, Elba supporters should try not to get their hopes up.

In an interview with Variety published Wednesday, 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson opened up about who, exactly, should be next to embody the role now that Daniel Craig has hung up his Bond suit. Wilson revealed that he thinks Elba is "great," and Broccoli backed that up by adding: "We love Idris."

But, she continued, whoever accepts the part needs to be fine with a long-term commitment.

"The thing is, it's going to be a couple of years off," Broccoli told Variety. "And when we cast Bond, it's a 10-, 12-year commitment. So he's probably thinking, 'Do I really want that thing? Not everybody wants to do that. It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it]."

Wilson added, "And he was in his early 30s at the time!"

Daniel Craig was actually 38 when his stint as Bond began in 2006's Casino Royale. Roger Moore, meanwhile, starred in the legendary role from ages 45 to 57.

The idea that Elba, 50, who would be the first Black James Bond, is too old for the role received backlash.

"Idris Elba is 'too old' to play Bond, but still looks 15-years younger than Daniel Craig," one social media user wrote in a Wednesday tweet.

Yet some seemed to agree that Elba has missed his window.

"As much as I love Idris Elba, the thought of him becoming the next James Bond is idiotic," one person tweeted. "He's 50 years old. It takes about 3/4 years to produce a Bond film, so by the time he's made 2 of them he'd be older than Roger Moore was when he retired. It's a nice idea, but think again."

Still, others are keeping their fingers crossed. On Tuesday, another Twitter user posted a photo of Elba in a suit and clutching a Bond-esque gun.

"For all you snowflakes losing your minds over a black mermaid, meet the new James Bond," the user wrote in the tweet, which has since gone viral.

Another Bond fan further explained why they believe that Elba "would make a great 007."

"He's British, handsome, and a hell of great actor. Bring it on," they continued in the tweet. "Would love to not only see, but look forward to adding his Bond films to my already complete Bond collection."

Calls for Elba to play Bond have been mounting for several years, but so too has resistance to the idea. Back in 2015, the author of the Bond novel Trigger Mortis said he viewed Elba as being "too rough" and "a bit too 'street'" for the role, but insisted that it wasn't a "colour issue," Buzzfeed reported at the time.

Some Bond buffs have also demanded that the franchise branch out to include a woman as the titular character. Bond actors themselves remain divided, though.

No Time to Die actress Ana de Armas told The Sun this summer that there's "no need for a female Bond." Co-star Lashana Lynch disagreed, telling The Guardian last year that Bond could be either "a man or woman."

Regardless, Elba doesn't appear to even want the gig. On an episode of The Shop podcast, he revealed that Bond just isn't in the cards for him.

"It is not a goal for my career. I don't think that playing Bond will satisfy some of my personal goals," he said in the episode, which aired on Spotify earlier this month. "It will definitely satisfy the will of a nation. I'm not gonna lie, every corner of the world I go, and I'm talking about different cultures, they always go 'Bond.' And I feel it is beyond me at this junction. It's beyond me.

"It's not a question of, should I, do I, will I," Elba continued. "It is what the will of the nation dictates sometimes."

Many Twitter users have since mourned the fact that "James Bond" likely won't grace Elba's resume.

"My wife just discovered that Idris Elba playing James Bond was just a rumor and that he has no desire to 'dress that fine and fight like that so [she] can watch him,'" someone wrote in a tweet. "Please respect our privacy in this difficult time."

Newsweek has reached out to Elba for comment.