James Bond author says Idris Elba is 'too street' to play 007

Idris Elba
(Image credit: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

The rumor mill has been churning for months now with speculation that Idris Elba will be the next James Bond. But that theory isn't sitting well with some, including the current 007 author. Anthony Horowitz, who took over the job of writing the James Bond novels from the Ian Fleming estate, is none too pleased that Elba is being considered, although he claims it isn't "a color issue."

"I think he is probably too street for Bond," Horowitz told The Daily Mail. "Is it a question of being suave? Yeah."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.