For over a decade, Idris Elba has been one of the most prominent names in the running as the next actor to play James Bond. Even though he has confirmed those casting stories are just rumors, Elba would have been a solid choice to play Bond. Unfortunately, one thing came in the way of Elba being the next 007.

Elba broke his silence last month about those James Bond rumors, saying he “wasn’t in the race in the first place.” In a new interview with British GQ, Elba further explained how his name first came up for Bond after Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Daniel Craig suggested that it was time for a Black actor to play James Bond.

“It was never legit. It was always just a rumor,” Elba said about the possibility of playing Bond. Fans then ran with the idea of Elba playing Bond, and those rumors still come up almost 20 years later.

Why did Idris Elba as James Bond never happen?

Elba has all the right qualities to play James Bond. From playing a drug mastermind in The Wire and an obsessive detective in Luther to a Marvel hero in Thor and a villain in Star Trek Beyond, Elba is a versatile actor who can act in multiple genres.

He has the looks, presence, and talent to play Bond. Unfortunately, poor timing is why Elba never had the chance to play Bond. Those Elba rumors began in 2008, right after Quantum of Solace, a film marred by a troubled production due to the writers’ strikes. Considering 2006’s Casino Royale revitalized the Bond franchise, Craig deserved another shot after Quantum of Solace’s failure, so Elba was never going to be Bond at that time.

After the success of 2012’s Skyfall, Craig was moving up the ranks of best actors to ever play 007. Elba, who was becoming a top Hollywood star himself, was not going to replace Craig after Skyfall became the first Bond movie to gross over $1 billion.

By the time Craig wrapped up his run as Bond in 2021, Elba had aged out to play Bond. Amazon wants an actor in their late 20s or 30s to play Bond. Elba is now 53, so unless Denis Villeneuve has a change of heart, Elba won’t be the next Bond.

Besides timing, the idea of Bond being played by a Black actor remains a polarizing topic. Is society ready to accept someone other than a white man playing Bond? Elba understands that if he played Bond, he would not be accepted in certain parts of the world.

“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” he says. “James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it. And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period.”

At the end of the day, Elba wants Bond to stay as a form of entertainment.

“Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” Elba added. “I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.”