Looks like Tom Hiddleston won’t become an international spy anytime too soon…

With Daniel Craig stepping down as the iconic 007, several names have been thrown around as possible replacements. According to Hypable, Spectre had a bad press run. Director Sam Mendes is also taking his last bow.

All of this has left a familiar spy-shaped hole up for grabs.

Unsurprisingly Tom Hiddleston’s name has come up alongside possible female and African American James Bonds (Jane Bond? Jackie Bond?). For the record, Tom would make a very nice James Bond. Sadly, Hiddleston has denied having “advanced talks” with producer Barbara Broccoli.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, everybody. I don’t think that announcement is coming. But I’m very gratified to hear the enthusiasm.”

Tom Hiddleston made this comment at Wizard World Philadelphia. This was after he told The Graham Norton Show he had yet to be approached for the role.

But with Hiddleston out of the running, who will be the next Bond? Idris Elba is another fan favorite. There is even a Facebook page calling for Elba’s spy status!

But according to an Express article from September 2015, Pierce Brosnan shot down those hopes – and any hope we may have had of a female Bond.

“A female James Bond, no, I think it has to be male. James Bond is a guy, he’s all male. His name is James, his name is James Bond,” Brosnan insisted.

Anthony Horowitz, who authored a 007 adventure titled Trigger Mortis, also weighed in on the discussion, saying Elba was “too street” to play Bond.

“Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better,” he said in reaction to the media’s claim that his previous comment was veiled racism. “For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It’s not a color issue. I think he is probably a bit too ‘street’ for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”

Brosnan also thought about having a gay James Bond.

If chosen for the role, Idris Elba will not be the first black actor to play James Bond. British actor David Oyelowo (Selma) voiced the spy in the audiobook of Horowitz’s novel.