Although it has already been confirmed that Daniel Craig will still be James Bond in the next movie franchise "Spectre," opinions about who should inherit the role have arisen.
It was earlier reported that Sony executives have been eyeing "The Wire" actor Idris Elba to play the lead role in the next James Bond movie. According to The Independepent which cited the exclusive report of The Daily Beast, Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Amy Pascal told Columbia Pictures' Elizabeth Cantillon in an email that "Idris should be the next Bond." That email was part of the information leaked when Sony was recently hacked. Columbia Pictures which Cantillon formerly heads is the one that distributes the Bond franchise.
When Elba was asked if he would accept the role, he said, "Yes, if it was offered to me, absolutely."
However, it seems that radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is not up to the idea of Elba becoming the next James Bond. TV Guide reported that Limbaugh, in his recent show this week, immediately said no to a next James Bond movie starring Elba.
"James Bond was invented, created by Ian Fleming, a former spy, MI6, and James Bond is a total concept put together by Ian Fleming. He was white and Scottish, period. That is who James Bond is," Limbaugh was quoted as saying.
"But now Sony is suggesting that the next James Bond should be Idris Elba, a black Briton rather than a white from Scotland. But that's not who James Bond is, and I know it's racist to probably even point this out," he added.
He further reasoned out, "We had 50 years of white Bonds because Bond is white. Bond was never black. Ian Fleming never created a black Brit to play James Bond. The character was always white. He was always Scottish. He always drank vodka shaken not stirred and all that."
Elba has not yet reacted to Limbaugh's statements. But even before Limbaugh made his remarks, Elba already pointed out to NPR that if given the chance to play the role, he does not want to be known as the "black James Bond."
"I just don't want to be called the first black James Bond. Do you understand what I'm saying? Sean Connery wasn't the Scottish James Bond and Daniel Craig wasn't the blue-eyed James Bond. So if I played him, I don't want to be called the black James Bond," to quote him.
According to the Daily Mail, "Spectre" is set to be released on November 6, 2015. Aside from Craig, the movie also stars Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Andrew Scott, Léa Seydoux, and Monica Bellucci. It is directed by Sam Mendes.