Idris Elba caused news outlets and social media users to speculate again he could be the next to play the role of James Bond.
“I think that would be fantastic for the Bond franchise. I have no idea. He’s never told me anything. He’s in ‘Star Trek’ now and he still won’t tell me if he’s an alien or a human. So, if anything’s happening, he’s so mum about it,” said filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga, who worked with Elba on “Beasts of No Nation.”
Daniel Craig is said to be making his fifth and final James Bond movie. He starred in the last four, “Casino Royale,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Skyfall,” and “Spectre.” He will appear on screen in November 2019, in “Bond 25.” Craig was supposed to leave the James Bond role after “Spectre,” but stayed. GQ thinks his departure after “25” is not set in stone.
According to Vox, the current idea of Elba as Bond is a 10-year-old idea that has come and gone, and come back again and again. The article also states that Elba has done very little to drive the rumors, although he has responded to them by saying he doesn’t want to be the “black” James Bond, since much of the controversy about his suitability for the role has swirled around his race.
Elba seemed to play into the rumors with his “my name’s Elba, Idris Elba” tweet on Aug. 12.
But later that day, he states what he thinks of yet another rumor in his “Don’t believe the HYPE …” tweet, that he posted not long after he tweeted a picture of rap group Public Enemy. The group has a song by the same name. Still, this didn’t stop Twitter users, and the media, from another round of speculation.
“Are HYPE the criminal organi[z]ation you have to take down, 007?” wrote @RedBeardOfDoom.
“‘007 - Public Enemy’ confirmed title with Idris Elba’s first instal[l]ment as Bond,” wrote @MrArran.
“This is a clear allusion to Public Enemy, and one line of the song goes, ‘Don’t believe the hype, it’s a sequel.’ The next Bond movie is, of course, a sequel. Therefore we can conclude Elba is the next Bond,” wrote @David_Liss
Some seemed to poke even more fun at all of the speculation, and chose to analyze the photo, which Chuck D of Public Enemy confirmed in the comments section was taken in Birmingham, England.
“I see two clocks in the picture. A clock is round. 0 is also round. Two round clocks can be called double 0. There are only 6 people on the picture, I feel like you’re the 7th tweeting it. 007???” Wrote @NeelosM
“I think he’s giving us clues in the tweets. 1. Elba, Idris Elba 2. Flava Flab’s clock, possibly at 11:05a 3. Don’t believe the hype Conclusion? At 11:05a Iris is going to hyperjump forward in time, using the speed force or a tardis, to wear he is driving a Ast[o]n Martin” wrote @dave_anson_.
