Idris Elba downplays interest in 007: 'Luther is my Bond'

Idris Elba
(Image credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

For months, Idris Elba has been hotly tipped as the most popular choice to take on the role of James Bond when Daniel Craig retires. The speculation has led to impassioned essays, Photoshopped images, and even an acknowledgement from Elba himself.

But in an interview on Wednesday, Elba seemed to downplay his own interest in playing 007. Following an early screening of a special two-hour Luther episode set to premiere on BBC America later this month, Elba said John Luther — a brilliant London homicide detective who arrived on the small screen in 2011 — is close enough to playing 007 for his tastes.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.