The Selma star is the first black actor to portray the secret agent, seeing off competition from fellow Brit Idris Elba, who is considered the favourite to become the next movie Bond when Daniel Craig steps down.

Oyelowo will voice the spy and other characters in the audio recording of Trigger Mortis, which has been written by author Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by the estate of Bond's creator Ian Fleming.

The actor tells Britain's The Guardian newspaper, "I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special... 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 the 'to be or not to be' speech (from Shakespeare's Hamlet)."

The novel and audiobook will be released on 8 September (15).