Apparently, there's been at least one meeting about the possibility. http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/GraphicCity/news/?a=69173 I can't vouch for the site 100%, but they're usually right on.
"Luther" is one of my favorite shows, he is a great actor. It would be a great cultural shift, as well as entertaining to see Big Driis the Londoner (his cool DJ name) as Bond.
I hate to kill your little sarcasm, but Colin Salmon was considered for the role of James Bond after Pierce Brosnan retired from the role. Plus, he did portray James Bond in Britain, though it's a comedy show. I wouldn't be surprised after two or three James Bonds, Idris Elba would be considered for the role. Hell, James Bond is a British, yah? Well, there was a Scottish James Bond and an Irish one. So...why the snickets?
LOL. Anyway, yea Idris is a great actor, bar none. But Bond has always been a white guy. The novels were written like that and the Bond franchise has always been that. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. How would you feel if they casted a white guy in Shaft's role? Plus, Craig is signed on for 2 more movies. Fassbender or someone will likely follow Craig.
Broccoli never described the character in any of the books as being white. Just British. The perception was that he's white. But in this growing, more diverse, and more open world, I wouldn't be surprised seeing Idris playing the role of James Bond, just as much as I could see Robert Downey Jr. casting as the role of Shaft. He has the bad ass attitude. Besides, if they were to case another white guy for the role of Bond, I'd wager Benedict Cumberbatch.
Nonsense at RD Jr as Shaft -- he will always be Black and bold! Don't touch, please. Spectacular at Idris as James Bond! This notion of him in the role has been tossed around before anyway.
Well, RD got that black and bold look. Just check Tropic Thunder. Here are some other white people to consider for the role of Shaft: 1. Justin Timberlake 2. Marshal "Eminem" Mathers 3. Robin Thicke 4. Justin Bieber 5. John Cena 6. Michael Cera 7. Benedict Cumberbatch 8. Rob Zombie 9. Mick Jagger 10. Troy Barker 11. Hugh Laurie 12. Pierce Brosnan
Ian Fleming wrote the books not Broccoli, he was just the film producer that brought Bond to screen. His looks are described in the novels in quite a bit of detail. Which is why Daniel Craig had such a hard time at the beginning. Idris is the man but he doesn't have the presence or voice to be Bond, Cumberbatch for the same exact same reasons but I do see him making a perfect Bond villain. If Fassbender is the next Bond i'd be more than satisfied.
I always thought James Bond was a code name, an agent that can be assumed by different people. I thought that was the explanation for there being so many different Bond characters through out the series. Kind of life like their being a series of different Robins in DC Comics. One dies or retires he's replaced with someone else. But with that said who the fuck cares who plays a fictional character? If this is the shit that'll make you lose sleep please don't wake up when you do.
That would be the '00' in theory, they could have like a '005' or whatever, and have him be black I think there's a good chance you'll see that in the future remember..the movies only go by codenames or titles, and don't really have James Bond written anywhere but hey we got Alex Cross and I guess that's supposed to satisfy us, even if the movie did get panned (i know..not exactly a spy movie...but hey it's starring a black man:smt016)
In the realm of fictional characters (whether or not they are based on real people), anything goes...