Idris Elba is reportedly the frontrunner for the role of the Gunslinger in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower adaptation.

Forget James Bond: We’re all about the Gunslinger, one of Stephen King’s most iconic heroes.

Deadline reports that Idris Elba, who returns to U.S. screens as Luther on December 17, is the current frontrunner to star in Sony’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series.

He would take on the role of lead hero Roland Deschain, also known as the Gunslinger. In the first novel, also titled The Gunslinger, Roland is fighting to save humanity in a post-apocalyptic world, trekking across desert plains to reach the Dark Tower before the series’ villain, the Man in Black.

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Matthew McConaughey is in talks to star as the Man in Black, an ambiguous figure who recurs in several of Stephen King’s novels.

Danish director Nikolaj Arcel is directing The Gunslinger, the first movie in what will hopefully be a series of movies set in the Dark Tower universe. Arcel’s previous credits include A Royal Affair, and The Truth About Men.

While there is no deal in place yet, Idris Elba would be a great fit for the role of the Gunslinger. Elba is also hot property right now, not only because of the ever-present James Bond rumors, but also because his Beasts of No Nation role recently landed him Supporting Actor nominations from both the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes.

Catch Idris Elba’s brilliant series Luther on BBC America later this month: season 4 premieres on December 17, at 9 p.m. EST.