I submit Jimmy Akingbola for consideration. I haven’t seen him on-screen, so I can’t judge his screen presence, but I’ve enjoyed his voice work as Richard Sonnac in The Secret World MMO. Anyone else have an opinion on his potential for the role?
This is a stupid idea. If you want Idris Elba as a super-spy, just make that movie. There’s no reason why you need to make him James Bond in particular.
I think Idris Elba would be a great choice as The Doctor whenever the role opens up again, so I’d hate for him to not be available because he was already snapped up by another franchise role. You should pick somebody else to be Bond.
I agree. The whole James Bond franchise is completely played out.
Idris Elba was terrific in Luther, but it was all him. The writing and everything else wasn’t all that great.
Heck, I wish they’d make a Luther film, with new writers and a major director.
I very much disagree. The movies with Daniel Craig have reinvigorated the series. Also, the box office receipts belie the idea that the series is no longer interesting.
Geeze, threadshit much? We’re just having fun fantasizing.
Speaking of fantasizing and gorgeous eyes, I nominate Michael Ealy.
I say that the one movie should be with Terrence Howard and then the following movies could star Don Cheadle. 
See, that read as “sociopath” to me, but I get the point. Take out the sociopath and it might work.
Also, I vote for Idris Elba as well.
Well, not even necessarily take it all the way out. Though I don’t know that he’d have to be QUITE as tortured as Timothy Dalton’s Bond was.
There’s also, as referenced some above, just the option of doing something like XXX with Vin Diesel or Jason Bourne with Matt Damon (and to a lesser extent whashisname)… characters that are basically Schmames Schmond.
This was my exact thought, for the exact same reason.
Did the same objection apply to Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, or David Niven? Why not?
Bit baffled at the folks in this thread using the fact that it’d rile racists as a mark against it. Free advertising, and hey, fuck 'em. Since when do we let racists make these decisions for us?
Elba’d be delightful as Bond, I think. Chiwetel Ejiofor could do it as well, based on the Serenity comparison, though I’ve not seen him lately.
I love the idea. Idris is awesome. And British. And would add a new, interesting element to the Bond legend.
I have no problem with a black James Bond. That’s like asking “Would you have a problem with a black spy”?
However an American James Bond would be an abomination.
I was going to suggest Ejiofor around noon yesterday, but then had to deal with work so everybody else beat me to it (gang-ninja’d!).
I was also going to complain that there was once talk of a Jinx spin-off – American, black, and female international spy. Whatever happened to that? I heard Halle Berry had even filmed some of the scenes but now it’s been shelved indefinitely? I would have loved that franchise!
–G!
Why is it idiotic?
Craig Charles, just to see heads explode.
If not Bond, then the next Doctor.
The racists came out of the woodwork because some tertiary character in the Hunger Games was black in the movie, so you can bet an iconic franchise character would create a shitstorm. I’m not a big fan of race or gender changes solely to be provocative and create press. It can seem forced and cheap. Thor is female? Alright, I’m not even interested in the explanation especially since comics are retcon city.
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The really stupid thing about this outcry (from mostly teen-aged girls, from what I could tell) was that the movie was ruined, ruined by Rue being played by a black girl when, in the book, she’s a black girl.
On topic: The first person I thought of was Chiwetel Ejiofor and then I wondered if Morris Chestnut is too old.
I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with Craig Charles doing the standard pushy Bond seduction…
Whoever plays him, the black Bond should firstly star in a remake of ‘Live and Let Die’, to raise a Moore-like eyebrow at the racial stereotyping.