In a new interview with the BBC, Tom Hanks made it very clear that he wants Idris Elba to be the next James Bond.
Understand this. James Bond has a licence to kill. I would issue that licence to Idris Elba just based on the work that I’ve seen him do.
Hanks joins former 007 Pierce Brosnan in his belief that Elba should be Don the badge. Elba has always been a popular choice in fan castings. Hell, he’d be my #1 choice as well … if the actor hadn’t already walked away from 'years of talks' with Bond producer Broccoli.
“It is not a goal for my career,” Elba said. “I don’t think that, you know, playing Bond will satisfy some of my personal goals. 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. You know, it’s not a question of, should I, do I, will I. It is what the will of the nation dictates sometimes.”
I’ve heard enough rumors about Aaron Taylor-Johnson becoming the next James Bond that my money would be on him. Taylor-Johnson had a secret screen-test with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli at Pinewood studios in November, and it supposedly went very well.
There’s been no denial from Broccoli and company as word keeps spreading throughout the film world. You can read the Bond/Taylor-Johnson stories here, here, here, here and here.
Taylor-Johnson would be succeeding Daniel Craig. There had been doubts about Craig’s casting back in 2005 but he surprisingly delivered two of the best movies of this five-decade franchise: “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall.” I never had high expectations to begin with, but those two movies were aces.
Some of the actors who have also been rumoured for Bond in the last year included Henry Cavill, Regé Jean-Page, Tom Hardy, James Norton and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
After Elba, Henry Cavill would be my next choice.