The Latest Actor Rumored For The Next James Bond Is A Refreshing Surprise
All of a sudden, there's another 007 hopeful out there.
In terms of any official announcements, the real-world spymakers behind the James Bond film franchise, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, have made it clear it will be a while before we get any confirmation on who will play the next James Bond. We know the next Bond won’t be under 30, but there’s no reason to believe he’ll be played by any of the names that have been mentioned in rumors, or bolstered by various oddsmakers on betting sites. That said, one name has recently emerged as a frontrunner among oddsmakers, and it’s an exciting choice if the buzz ever ends up matching up with reality.
According to NME, at least one online oddsmakers site, OLBG, has placed 31-year-old actor Damson Idris in the lead. To be clear, this determination is made by bookies, in terms of the odds that this actor could be cast as James Bond. These types of bookies and oddsmakers obviously have no sway over the actual decisions of EON Productions, but, it should be noted that most names on everyone’s Bond hopefuls lists come from these oddsmakers, or, are supported by what the oddsmakers predict.
Who is Damson Idris?
Damson Idris in 2023.
The new predictions about Damson Idris as the next possible 007 are as exciting as they are refreshing. He’s younger than some of the other names that have been thrown around, but he’s also had a high-profile career already, starring in the TV series Snowfall. Idris is Nigerian and was born in London, so he 100 percent could be Bond IRL. If cast as James Bond, he’d obviously be the first Black actor to play the character, and in 2022, mentioned that he’d be up for the role if it came his way saying: “I don’t know, do I look like I could play Bond? Oh brilliant, well maybe it could happen. Who knows?”
Currently, Idris is involved with a Brad Pitt-led film about Formula One race car drivers. Considering Bond’s need for speed, it’s possible that Damson Idris is getting accidentally training to play Bond, thanks to getting involved in this racing movie! In fact, in a 2015 James Bond continuation novel, called Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz, Bond does go undercover as a race car driver at the Grand Prix. (Which yes, is just as cool as it sounds.)
Right now, there’s no clear picture of when a new James Bond film will start casting, much less, filming. But, of all the new possible Bond actors, the idea of Damson Idris is perhaps the most exciting. He’s a well-established actor, but not too famous at this moment in time. He would make the role seem new for the 21st century, but he’s also a handsome guy with Bond-esque charm to spare. If Damson Idris did get the part, the future of 007 would be in capable hands.
