Daniel Craig-Era James Bond Villain Actor Picks Who He Wants To Become the Next 007 Agent (& It's A Popular Fancasting)

Casino Royale villain actor Mads Mikkelsen reveals his pick for the next James Bond , and it's a popular fancast. Daniel Craig is the latest actor to play British superspy 007, joining the franchise in 2006 and bidding farewell to the role in 2021 with the end of No Time To Die. Since the release of that film, it's been unknown who will take his place, but James Bond 26 is confirmed to arrive at some point in the future, and rumors and reports continue to swirl regarding who could be next to play the iconic character.

During a recent interview with Dextero, Mikkelsen, who played Le Chiffre in Craig's first outing, reveals who he would like to see take up the mantle of 007 in Bond 26. According to Mikkelsen, popular fancast Idris Elba would be a great choice for the role. He does note, however, that the biggest problem with this casting is that Elba is "almost the same age as Daniel, so maybe they’ll have an issue with that." Check out his comment below:

“I think that Idris Elba was talked about for a while. I think he’s an amazing actor.”

What Idris Elba's Casting Would Mean For James Bond

Why Elba Probably Won't Be James Bond

Elba has long been considered a top choice for the role of Bond, but it doesn't seem to be one he's entirely interested in. "It is not a goal for my career," he said bluntly in an interview with The Shop podcast, though he did admit that he's glad to be a popular fancast purely for what it says about the state of casting in Hollywood. Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli then responded to Elba's comments, saying that she and fellow producer Michael G. Wilson "love Idris" but that they're looking for someone to make a ten or 12-year commitment.

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Elba is now 52 years old, which is close to how old the 56-year-old Craig was when he left the franchise with No Time To Die. Though Roger Moore played Bond until he was 57, Elba's age alone probably disqualifies him from taking on the role, even if he did want it. Currently, it looks like actors in their 30s are more top of mind for the part, with the 34-year-old Aaron Taylor-Johnson seemingly a front-runner.

Following the release of Gladiator 2, star Paul Mescal jumped up in the betting odds as another top contender for the role of Bond.

Our Take On Mikkelsen's James Bond Choice

Elba Should Have Done A One-Off

Elba would indeed have made a great Bond, but it seems like that door is now fairly definitively closed. Even if Elba did want the role, it would probably be a year or two before filming could even begin, meaning he would be playing the character until his mid-60s. What would have been interesting, if Elba had been interested, is a one-off outing, similar to how George Lazenby only appeared in one Bond movie.

It's now been three years since the end of No Time To Die, and, in terms of concrete information from official sources, there's still not much known about Bond 26. Though Taylor-Johnson seems to be a popular choice, it's still entirely possible that Broccoli and Wilson will choose someone that's not on anybody's radar, and this might actually be the best approach. It remains unclear who will play Bond next, but Mikkelsen would evidently like to see Elba give it a crack.

Source: Dextero