The actor acclaimed for his performance of Martin Luther King Jr. in the film "Selma" will take on James Bond in an audiobook – becoming the first black actor to play 007.
David Oyelowo, who'll voice Bond and other characters in the audio book of "Trigger Mortis," written by Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by the estate of Ian Fleming, said Thursday he was "very honored,"
the Guardian reports.
"I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: 'I am the new James Bond' – even saying that name is the cinematic equivalent of doing the 'to be or not to be' speech.'
"I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special," he added.
Besides his role in the "Selma" – which won an Oscar for best original song, "Glory," but
was snubbed for any acting accolades – Oyelowo also played Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company, making him the first black actor to play an English king in a major Shakespeare production, the Guardian notes.
The audiobook version of "Trigger Morris" will be out Sept. 8 along with
hardcover and e-book editions, the Guardian reports.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.