Idris Elba has ruled himself out of the running to become the next James Bond, despite months of being the frontrunner to replace Daniel Craig.
The Luther actor, 50, reportedly told how he wants to stick to playing the tormented detective John Luther – and shut down any speculation of him playing 007.
He has told how he is pursuing his own projects, having recently confirmed a feature-length Luther film which comes out next month, and ruled himself out saying: “I’m not going to be that guy.”
Idris had been the favourite to star as 007 since Daniel, 54, stepped down as the secret agent after last year's No Time To Die.
But the actor has ruled himself out when speaking to the World Government Summit in Dubai today.
Elba reportedly brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming’s famed British spy when talking about his upcoming film.
“It’s very dark,” Elba said of the series. “We’ve been working on the television show for about 10 years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so we’re here with the first movie.”
He added: “You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with ‘J’ and ends with ‘B,’ but I’m not going to be that guy. I’m going to be John Luther. That’s who I am.”
Idris is following up on the massive success of Luther on TV with the film version out in March.
In Luther: The Fallen Sun the skilled but disgraced detective breaks out of jail to catch a serial killer who is terrorising London.
This will see him reprise the role of DCI John Luther after 10 years of the BBC show.
The film due to come out in American cinemas on February 24, then stream on Netflix from March 10.
The cast includes Andy Serkis, who was Gollum in The Lord of the Rings films, as millionaire villain David Robey, who watches and manipulates others via tech surveillance.
Idris previously told the Mirror how he plans for someone else to take over his role as Luther – just like James Bond.
Last month the East Londoner told us: “It’s not a competition but I reference Bond as a template for the type of film we’re going for.
“John is a leading character in a film that he’s the hero of. That’s the comparison I’m making.
“But my ambition is for it to have that sort of scale, that reverence.
“I want people to be like, ‘Ooh! Luther, the first film? Wicked.’ And to continue that.”
And Idris is already looking ahead to who could take over from him as Luther, saying: “Maybe later down the line, when I’m too old, someone else will step in to play John.”
Other names in the frame to play Bond include Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 32, Superman star Henry Cavill, 39, and Bridgerton favourite Regé-Jean Page, 34.
Craig starred in five Bond movies, including Casino Royale in 2006, 2012’s Skyfall and 2021’s No Time to Die.
