Idris Elba on Bond role and potential of African storytelling

Speaking Tuesday (Feb. 14) at the World Government Summit, British actor Idris Elba commented rumours that he'd take over as James Bond. He also urged African leader to back the creative industy. In 2021,  the United Nations estimated that Africa's thriving film industry could create about 20 million extra jobs if its potential was fully exploited.

Speculation have been running wild since Daniel Craig took his leave with the 2021 No Time To Die film. Elba's focus is on upcoming Netflix film based on the BBC series “Luther”.

"The movie comes out. We've been working on the television show for about ten years, and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen and so we're here with the first movie. And, you know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I'm not going to be that guy. I'm going to be John Luther. That's who I am."

John Luther will return in select theatres then on Netflix in March. While in Dubai, Idris Elba also talked about the power of storytelling, especially in bringing forth an African perspective to the world.

"I believe that Africa, especially as a continent, needs to hold a narrative change in narrative the way I think the world is viewed Africa, for a very long time needs a shift."

"How do we do that? Well, the media doesn't help. The media concentrates on conflict. Okay. But the media is also a storyteller. Government in Africa could really help the continent by operating policy to allow the young people to be bolstered into an industry."

In recent weeks, Elba has appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he and his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba received an award for their work on food security in Africa. Elba also has worked as an anti-crime ambassador with his “Don’t Stab Your Future” initiative in the United Kingdom.