James Bond has been a much-loved film character for decades now. And there were rumors that sparked earlier this 2015 about the possibility of having the first African-American 007.

Idris Elba's name has been tied to the 007 rumors. It has been speculated that if producers would be deciding to make a movie with a black Bond, then Idris Elba would be their man.

However, an MGM insider purportedly negated the rumors and claimed that the chances of Idris Elba playing the role of James Bond are very slim.

"Daniel has verbally told us he is staying, which means that Idris' dreams of becoming Bond are all but dead," the source told Dish Nation.

Apparently, Daniel Craig, who stars at the upcoming James Bond 2015 movie "Spectre" is staying on as 007 until 2018. The first James Bond movie that doesn't star Daniel Craig is estimated to be released in 2022.

"Idris would be 50 by the time his first movie came out and even though he looks younger than his years suggest, in truth he couldn't have a long run as Bond," the source added. "Idris would have been a great black Bond, but timings are just not in his favor."

With Idris Elba out of the picture, who will likely inherit the 007 role from Daniel Craig when he retires from making Bond movies? Henry Cavill is a strong candidate, according to the MGM insider.

"Henry is now in the best spot. He is just 32 and is really creating a fan base and body of work which mean once he hits 39 in 2022, he should be in his prime," the source said. "He almost landed the role last time, but was considered too young compared to Daniel."

However, a lot may still happen between 2015 and 2022, so it may still be too early to predict the future James Bond actor for now.

Meanwhile, fans are already excited to see the James Bond 2015 movie, "Spectre," which hits theaters this fall according to Entertainment Weekly.