The idea of Luthor star Idris Elba becoming the first black James Bond has been floating around for a few years now. In 2012, the actor was reportedly talking with franchise producers about taking over for current 007 Daniel Craig, who’ll finish his run as the British Secret Service agent with Bond 25 after 2015’s Spectre. Then, in September, during a Reddit AMA, the British actor said that if the role was offered to him, he’d take it: “Yes, if it was offered to me, absolutely.”

After the Sony hacking, emails were leaked earlier this month that revealed that Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal was interested in Elba for the franchise, reportedly writing, “Idris should be the next bond.”

That reveal sent the internet into a frenzy of excitement and Elba himself took to his Twitter account to respond to the casting speculation by saying, “Isn’t 007 supposed to handsome? Glad you think I’ve got a shot! Happy New year people.”

Check out the tweet here below, which was accompanied by a selfie.

So, it looks like Sony wants Elba, Elba apparently would take up the mantle if asked, and the public wants it too — except for people like Rush Limbaugh, who says that James Bond is “white and Scottish,” not a black Britain like Elba, and admitted that his stance is likely racist: “I know it’s racist to probably point this out,” he said.

So, if Elba does become Bond, expect plenty of this kind of bullshit commentary, much like the controversy that arose when the actor was cast as the Norse God Heimdall in Marvel’s Thor, because everyone knows that the only actor qualified for a role like that would be an actual Norse God, duh!

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