U.S. Audiences Want Idris Elba to Be the Next James Bond

Fans, bookies and pundits alike are already speculating about who will be the next James Bond following Daniel Craig’s final portrayal of 007 in the recently released “No Time to Die.” New data shows that American audiences prefer longtime favorite Idris Elba, while avid fans of the franchise would rather see “Venom” star Tom Hardy.

More on the numbers:

• 43 percent of U.S. adults have a favorable view of Elba as the next Bond. The British actor’s name has been suggested many times over the years, but Elba himself recently downplayed speculation that he would take on the part, telling Esquire he has loved playing the title role in the TV series “Luther,” a character he views as existing in the same universe as Bond. 
• With a net favorability rating of 88, Daniel Craig’s portrayal is beloved by Bond fanatics. And unlike general audiences, these self-proclaimed avid fans of the spy franchise had a slightly higher net favorable view of Hardy taking on the role (49) than of Elba doing so (45). 
• A plurality of adults picked Elba to replace Craig as 007 when presented with several options. Eighteen percent chose Elba, followed by Hardy with 11 percent. “Loki” actor Tom Hiddleston (6 percent) and “The Witcher” lead Henry Cavill (5 percent) rounded out the top four.
• “Bridgerton” star Regé-Jean Page, one of the current betting favorites, didn’t receive much support from U.S. viewers. The actor’s net favorability as the next Bond was 10, the third-lowest mark among the options.
• “No Time to Die” star Lashana Lynch finished last in net favorability. A previous Morning Consult poll found that while Americans are open to a Black James Bond, they are not particularly supportive of a woman portraying the iconic character.

The survey was conducted Oct. 11-13, 2021, among 2,201 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points.