Everyone has their favorite long shot in the race to become the face of the James Bond movies and, for a while, Idris Elba has been one of the more popular picks. Tipped as a potential 007 for some time now, the actor sat in a position where the odds weren’t abysmal, but the climate around the role made the prospect very unlikely. Today, that speculation can come to an end, as Elba has officially killed his chances of being James Bond, with fan favorite John Luther filling the void.

During Dubai’s World Government Summit, AP capture remarks that the actor made regarding the persistent buzz around him becoming the cinematic super spy. Tying those remarks to his continued work on the BBC/Netflix original series "Luther," here’s how Idris Elba closed one door -- but kept another firmly open.