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Is the world ready for a black actor to play James Bond? Whatever your answer, it's happening - sort of. Acclaimed Selma leading man David Oyelowo was this week announced as the official voice of James Bond, agent 007 in an upcoming audiobook based on the Ian Fleming novels that have since turned into a franchise of successful movies. He won't replace Daniel Craig on the big screen after 2015's Spectre, but he will be remembered as the voice of Bond in Trigger Mortis, written by Anthony Horowitz. Considering this is part of a hot topic, we have to wonder if Idris Elba was considered for this voice acting work after making headlines as a possible Craig replacement. Read more on all of this news below!
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"I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: 'I am the new James Bond' - even saying that name is the cinematic equivalent of doing the 'to be or not to be' speech," Oyelowo said, according to The Guardian. "I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special."
Check out our recent exclusive interview with Oyelowo right here!
The author of the book, Horowitz, released a statement on this news, sharing his excitement: "What an honor to have an actor as talented as David to read my take on Bond. He has a brilliant voice and talent for bringing out the nuances of dialogue and characters."
Slash Film points out that Oyelowo isn't actually the first black actor to voice Bond, though. In 2012, Hugh Quarshie was the voice of 007 in the audiobook version of Dr. No.
When talking about Bond in any regard, Idris Elba's name almost certainly comes up, mainly because of casting rumors from the last year or so. Oyelowo is aware of this fact and agrees that Elba would make a great Bond one day.
"A titan on screen, he has all the qualities that you'd want in a James Bond," he said of his acting peer. "Because films and TV affect culture, a black Bond would be a cultural event ... a statement ... beyond just entertainment."
What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments section below!
Watch the latest James Bond movie trailer for Spectre right here:
