Idris Elba is said to have withdrawn from talks to become the next James Bond, despite being the frontrunner to replace Daniel Craig.
The Luther actor, 49, reportedly wants to pursue his own projects, having recently confirmed a feature-length Luther film. This will see him reprise the role of DCI John Luther after 10 years of the BBC show.
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. William Hill had odds on him taking on the role at 5-2.
"Fans and Barbara wanted Idris but he wants to create something for himself.
"However, he’s put forward names to play 007. He’s ‘informally’ in the decision-making process as he’s been in talks with producers for so long," a source told The Sun.
The Mirror has contacted Idris' representatives for comment.
With Elba out of the running, Henry Cavill and Rege-Jean Page are the 4/1 bookies’ favourites to take on the iconic role.
While at the premiere of his movie The Harder They Fall in 2021, Idris had said: "No, I'm not going to be James Bond."
He also addressed the rumours in an interview with The Telegraph. He said: "I’m probably the most famous Bond actor in the world, and I haven’t even played the role.
"Enough is enough. I can’t talk about it anymore."
James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli previously admitted it will take a long time to choose a replacement for Daniel. She said it's not as easy as just picking an actor.
"It's a big decision. It's not just casting a role. It's about a whole rethink about where we're going," she told Variety.
Barbara also told Deadline's Crew Call podcast: "It's a reinvention of Bond. We're working out where to go with him, we're talking that through.
"We're reinventing who he is and that takes time. There isn't a script and we can't come up with one until we decide how we're going to approach the next film.
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