Idris Elba has ruled himself out of contention to play James Bond, saying he is “not in the race” for the iconic role and that the franchise appears to be heading in a younger direction.

Speaking exclusively at the Los Angeles premiere of his new film, Masters of the Universe, on Monday, May 18, Elba dismissed long-standing speculation about him becoming the next 007. “My name’s not getting thrown out, no way,” he said. “They’re going younger. And I wish them all the luck of the world. I can’t wait — it’s going to be amazing.”

He added that he had never considered himself a serious candidate for the role. “I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place,” he said.

Elba has previously addressed the Bond rumours, including during a 2023 appearance on the Smartless podcast hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes. At the time, he said he was “super complimented” by the speculation but found the attention uncomfortable once the discussion shifted towards race.

“We’re all actors, and we understand that that role is one of those sort of coveted types,” he said. “But being asked to be James Bond was like, ‘Okay, you’ve sort of reached the pinnacle.’”

However, he added that the conversation became “disgusting and off-putting” when it focused on race, saying it overshadowed the professional aspect of the discussion.

The Bond role was last played by Daniel Craig in 2021’s ‘No Time to Die’. Previous actors to portray the character include Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and others throughout the franchise’s long history.

Elba’s name has been linked to Bond speculation for years, particularly after comments in a leaked 2014 Sony email from executive Amy Pascal, who suggested he would be a strong candidate. Despite the ongoing rumours, Elba said he is focused on his current projects, including promoting Masters of the Universe.