Last month Daniel Craig‘s time as James Bond came to a triumphant end with the release of No Time To Die. Since then, the Bond odds have been trying to predict which actor will be taking over from the star going forward. In the odds, The Suicide Squad star Idris Elba currently has 9/1, but he isn’t keen to take the role.

Elba was recently spotted at the No Time To Die premiere, where he was asked if he will be the next Bond.

The star replied: “No, I’m not going to be James Bond.”

Now, in a new interview, Elba has cleared the air over why he is not likely to seek out the role.

He said: “I say this in jest, but this is my answer to Bond: [Luther] is my big character that lives in the same space as the Bournes, as the Bonds in the world.

“Not in terms of spy works or spying, but this is a character that fights evil and then will stop at nothing to do it.” (Via Esquire)

READ MORE: Next James Bond: Tom Hardy steams ahead as Lashana Lynch slips behind

Elba went on: “And we created him from scratch. Me and [the showrunner] Neil Cross really ploughed our hearts into making John Luther.

“And I’ve never been more thankful for a character that keeps going. I love him.

“And it’s a hard character to play. It’s very absorbing, but I’ve liked bringing him to life every time. I’ve loved it.”

Elba has played Luther for five seasons, with a film reportedly on the way, so he may have just had enough of playing the gun-toting good guy.

He has, however, also received a lot of wrongful criticism for even being considered as the next Bond because he is Black.

Speaking out about the reaction he has received, Elba said: “From one perspective, hey, there’s a logic: He’s Norse; he shouldn’t be played by a Black man.

“But from another sect, there was https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1506124/next-james-bond-idris-elba-no-time-to-die-daniel-craig#comments like: ‘Idris Elba’s a c**t, he’s disgusting, he’s not f*****g James Bond, he’s never going to be James Bond.’ It was hatred.”

DON’T MISS…
Billie Eilish shares insight into meeting Royals at premiere [NEWS]
James Bond: Daniel Craig got ‘super emotional’ on last day as 007 [INSIGHT]
Next James Bond: Tom Hardy steams ahead as Lashana Lynch slips behind [INFO]

Elba added: “If you get to a level like mine, I can’t sit here and worry about some dickhead who’s got a pseudonym writing ‘Idris is Black, he shouldn’t play… I don’t care; I shouldn’t care about that.

“Plus, I’ve got a thick skin, man. I’m old and ugly enough to know that they love you, then they hate you, then they love you again.”

Elba is in good company in the Bond odds. Currently, at the top of the list is Tom Hardy with a staggering 5/2.

Just behind him is the Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page with 3/1.

Also on the list is the current and most recent 007 star Lashana Lynch, who played Nomi in No Time To Die.

The Marvel actor currently has an impressive 5/1.

James Bond No Time To Die is in cinemas now.

SOURCE