Next James Bond Rumors: Did Tom Hiddleston Confirm Daniel Craig Isn't Giving Up Role?

Tom Hiddleston is one of the front-runners to succeed Daniel Craig as the next James Bond. He previously expressed his interest in playing the role and alluded to the similarities of the character to the part he played on "The Night Manager." However, in a recent event, the actor somewhat confirmed that the role of James Bond is not up for grabs.

"The thing is the position is not vacant," Tom Hiddleston said when asked about playing James Bond at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, per CBS. "So, I don't know that I can answer that question until it is."

What do you think, can Tom Hiddleston make the transition from Loki to #JamesBond? https://t.co/sq0uiK1cYL

— AP2HYC (@AP2HYC) April 29, 2016

Tom Hiddleston As Next James Bond Boosted On TV Show

The actor, who is also popularly known as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has once declared in a separate interview that no one has talked to him about playing James Bond. "I haven't been approached, I haven't asked, I haven't been invited," he said per Entertainment Tonight. But he acknowledged why the speculations persist as people have seen him play Jonathan Pine in the AMC espionage series "The Night Manager."

The character of Pine as a secret agent also oozes with coolness and dignity as James Bond. "There are similarities in so far as Pine and Bond are granted a license above and beyond the law to do bad things for the greater good," as Parent Herald previously reported.

Interestingly enough, Tom Hiddleston recently caught up with another James Bond front-runner, Idris Elba, at the Met gala. As GQ notes, the two stars matched up well wearing their suits and perhaps it would be better for the studio to do a buddy James Bond movie starring both actors.

Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston Are Both Still Auditioning to Be James Bond https://t.co/iigNbwOzoQ pic.twitter.com/JLmN8UU7hK

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) May 2, 2016

Daniel Craig Not Quitting James Bond?

Rumors that Daniel Craig was giving up the part, after playing James Bond since 2005, started when the actor was still in the middle of filming "Spectre," the most recent Bond film. Then, in February, it was announced that Daniel Craig was going to star in a TV show, prompting speculations he's got no more time to do another Bond film. However, The Independent reports that no actual decision has been made regarding his quitting James Bond.