Idris Elba confirms he was never in the running to play James Bond as he puts to bed years of rumours on the race to 007

Idris Elba has put the rumours to bed once and for all as he claimed he has never been a contender for the role of James Bond, despite years of rumours. 

Auditions to cast the new James Bond have finally opened five years after the famed spy’s last outing on the big screen. 

However Idris has confirmed he was never even in the running after he was asked at the premiere of his new film Masters of the Universe how he felt about his name being ‘thrown out’ as a potential to take on the role. 

The actor, 53, explained: ‘My name’s not getting thrown out, no way. They’re going younger. And I wish them all the luck of the world. I can’t wait — it’s going to be amazing.’

‘I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place,’ he added to People. 

In December fans thought Idris had dropped a huge hint that he would be the next James Bond as he shared a video from Madame Tussauds where he was seen playfully interacting with the attraction’s wax figures.

With the famous Bond theme playing in the background, the camera tracked past several former 007s before settling on Idris at the end of the line.

Fans quickly flooded the comments as they hailed him as a top contender to take over the role after Daniel Craig. 

They penned: ‘Not just the bond we want… the bond we NEED’; ‘This is the Bond we want’; ‘You would be an AMAZING Bond’.

Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 in No Time To Die in 2021 was a critical and box office success, but fans of the spy have been left desperately waiting for news on who might replace him.

That announcement has been delayed after the Broccoli family, which held an iron grip on the franchise for decades, handed over creative control to Amazon MGM Studios.

The production company, which was formed when Amazon bought MGM in 2022, has been quiet on who might fill Craig’s boots, but it has teased there will be ‘exciting 007 news’ in the coming months.

But in a statement earlier this month they revealed it was now auditioning actors for the role, Amazon MGM Studios said: ‘The search for the next James Bond is underway.

‘While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.’

‘I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place,’ he explained (pictured Daniel Craig in Casino Royale in 2006) 

Callum Turner is the current bookies’ frontrunner according to Odds Checker.

The 36-year-old has been in the Harry Potter spin-off franchise Fantastic Beasts as Theseus Scamander and earned a BAFTA nomination for his lead role in BBC thriller The Capture.

He’s starred in Apple TV’s Masters Of The Air and worked under George Clooney’s direction in The Boys In The Boat. Turner is also engaged to pop singer Dua Lipa.

Next in line is Harris Dickinson – the 29-year-old due to play John Lennon in the forthcoming Beatles biopics.

After beginning his career in British independent films and TV he later moved to major projects including Triangle Of Sadness, Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil and The King’s Man.

He also starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Babygirl and received a BAFTA TV Award nomination for A Murder At The End Of The World.

Australian Jacob Elordi follows, after rising to fame in teen romance The Kissing Booth and then moving on to the hit show Euphoria alongside stars Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney. He also starred in Saltburn and Priscilla.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and most recently starred in the steamy romance film Wuthering Heights alongside Margot Robbie.

Also in the top group is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who has had plenty of admirers for the role over the years.

After years as a child star, he broke through as an adult in Kick-Ass in 2010, and has since gone on to star in a host of franchises including Godzilla, Marvel’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron and 28 Years Later.