Dexerto caught up with Mads Mikkelsen ahead of the release of Mufasa: The Lion King, with the James Bond actor revealing his top pick for the next 007 – but it might not work.
Mikkelsen has a knack for playing villains. He took on the Le Chiffre mantle for Casino Royale, he made Gellert Grindelwald his own in the Fantastic Beasts movies, and, of course, he filled Anthony Hopkins’ mighty big shoes as the young Hannibal Lecter.
So, it’ll come as no surprise that he’s playing an antagonist once more in the Disney live-action sequel/prequel Mufasa: The Lion King. In this world, Mikkelsen portrays Kiros, the dastardly leader of a pack of white lions known as “The Outsiders.”
While discussing his new role, Dexerto took the opportunity to ask the Bond villain the question that’s been on everyone’s lips since Daniel Craig stepped away from the franchise: who should play the next 007?
Mads Mikkelsen’s pick for next James Bond
Mikkelsen’s top pick would be a name that’s come up numerous times: Idris Elba. “I think that Idris Elba was talked about for a while,” he told us. “I think he’s an amazing actor.”
However, he pointed out that it’s a tough decision to make, and one that’s ultimately up to the casting directors.
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And there’s one other potential problem that Mikkelsen raised: Elba is “almost the same age as Daniel, so maybe they’ll have an issue with that.”
The man has a point. Both actors are in their 50s (Elba’s 52 while Craig is 56), an age when you might say the British super spy’s license to kill has expired.
This doesn’t mean he’s completely out of the running, but it’s a decision the directors aren’t taking lightly. Other names that have been put forward include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, Rege-Jean Page, and Lashana Lynch, to name a few.
We’ll just have to wait and see. Until then, be sure to check out Mufasa: The Lion King when it drops in theaters on Friday, 20 December. You can also read about the Disney movie’s James Earl Jones dedication, upcoming Disney+ releases, and find more new movies dropping this month.
