It’s still just rumored, but reports indicate that Idris Elba is very much the front-runner to take over as James Bond once Daniel Craig leaves.

The James Bond franchise has been around for quite a while, but recently it has seemed to be in a bit of a rough patch. The studio has struggled to get the next Bond film into production, and with Daniel Craig being very frank in interviews, explaining his intense desire to leave the franchise (he’s in for at least one more film), the search for a new James Bond is on.

While lots of names have been tossed around, the one name that has continued to resurface in the search for the next Bond is Idris Elba. Back in 2014 when the Sony hacks happened, it was revealed that Sony brass was throwing his name into the ring. And according to new reports from The Independent, key members of the Bond production team really want to see Elba join the franchise as well.

According to The Independent, the Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli and director Antoine Fuqua have both recently expressed their desire to see Elba step into the role of the famous spy once Daniel Craig bids the 007 moniker adieu. It’s still very much hearsay (especially since Elba himself has been pretty staunch in saying that not only is he not officially the next Bond, but he’d like to see a woman take on the role). However, it’s exciting to see that the studio is still leaning towards Elba for the role.

Fuqua went as far as to say to the Independent, “Idris could do it if he was in shape. You need a guy with physically strong presence. Idris has that.” While that isn’t an official endorsement or a reveal of the studio’s intention, it does show how closely they seem to be considering him. Not only is Elba a great actor who can definitely pull off that classic James Bond sexiness, but as a man of color, it’d be a pretty huge deal to see him in a role that has historically only been played by white men.

It’s exciting to think what is next for the franchise, but first, we have to wait for the next James Bond film, set to be Daniel Craig’s final adventure in the role, directed by Danny Boyle. The movie is set to release in late 2019, so hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long for an official role on which actor will play 007 in the post-Craig years.