James Bond Shocker: Amazon MGM Gains Creative Control of 007 Franchise as Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson Step Back
By Alex Ritman
Amazon MGM Studios is set to take creative control of the James Bond franchise.
The shock announcement — which is sure to shake and, indeed, stir the industry — was made Thursday, alongside the news that long-time producers and custodians of 007, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, would be stepping back.
As per details of the historic agreement, Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli have formed a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights. The three parties will remain co-owners of the iconic franchise but Amazon MGM will have creative control.
“Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.
“We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world, and to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide. We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”
Added Wilson: “With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects. Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
Broccoli commented, “My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli. I have had the honor of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of ‘No Time to Die’ and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.”
In 2022, Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion, acquiring a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows alongside the rights to distribute all of the James Bond films.
“No Time to Die” — the 25th James Bond film and Daniel Craig’s fifth and final turn as 007 — was released in 2021 and earned $775 million. Since then, despite endless speculation in the press, there have been no announcements regarding the timeline for production of the next film or Craig’s replacement.
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well what could possibly go wrong handing one of the most successful film franchises in the world to the outfit that gave us Rings of Power
Even money says we’re going to see a black James Bond and a “Bond universe”.
Goodbye, Mr. Bond.
Yikes, the mental backflips that people like you must do to find a way to be racist about every little thing that happens in the world… It’s gotta be exhausting.
Naw, Sterling Archer is right. 😄
100%…Archer could have just mentioned a ‘Bond Universe’ but no, he had to go full race clown…
Next thing you know, they’re gonna want to vote!
what in the world would be the difference if the next 007 was black? Unless you, perhaps, prefer another specific color of skin?
And thank Harry Saltzman for selling his Bond shares to United Artist, an MGM company. Bad decision!
That’s United Artists.
PLEASE let Tarantino direct!
Bezos, my heavens.
“They/Them Bond, I presume?” <>
The next James Bond will be, Patton Oswald.
No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die. Said Paramount.
Not like Bond can be any more feminized…
gay bond
Yes, let the streaming dolts run the franchise…said no one….
They did so poorly with Citadel. I guess we will get a different version of Bond for each market.
NOOOOOOOO
Not a problem. I’m done with the franchise now anyway.
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Jeff Bezos Asks Who Should Be The Next James Bond After Franchise Producers Relinquish Creative Control
It’s been over four years since Daniel Craig’s final appearance as James Bond in No Time to Die and we still don’t know what the franchise’s future holds or who will take the reins next. That could all start changing fast. Amazon now has full creative control over the blockbuster spy series after hashing out a deal with its long-time producers, and founder Jeff Bezos is already asking fans who should play 007 next.
Creative control for the decades-spanning series of films adapting the Ian Fleming books previously rested with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, whose father produced the first Bond film, Dr. No, back in 1962. His daughter and stepson will remain a part of the franchise moving forward but will no longer have veto power over its future direction and new films.
Bezos, who helped oversee the evolution of Amazon into a multi-media conglomerate that made inroads into online streaming and film with the acquisition of MGM Studios in 2022, immediately took to social media to ask fans who they want to see don the infamous MI6 agent’s black tuxedo and tie next.
The names of several A-list male British actors started flooding in, including Henry Cavill (you can watch his earlier audition for the role here), Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, and Theo James. The latter was previously rumored to be near the top of a shortlist along with James Norton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Whoever Amazon selects will likely be young enough to continue as the face of the franchise for several films.
Craig was in the role for roughly 15 years, beginning with 2006’s Casino Royale. Prior to that it was Pierce Brosnan (four films in seven years) and Timothy Dalton (two films in just two years). While Sean Connery was the first and best-known James Bond, it was Roger Moore who appeared in the most Bond films total, beginning with 1973’s Live and Let Die and ending with 1985’s A View To A Kill.
Even if Amazon does complete casting in short order, it will likely still be a few years until an actual movie is ready. The longest Bond has ever been on hiatus is six years, but this break is likely to eclipse that ahead of the franchise’s new era under the control of Amazon. At this rate, the new James Bond game from Hitman maker IO Interactive will probably launch first.
Craig previously mentioned that he was thankful to finally leave the role for good when his incarnation of the agent was killed in No Time To Die. “I don’t want to go back,” he said back in 2022. “I suppose I should be so lucky if they were to ask me back, but the fact is I need to move on from it. The sacrifice that he makes in the movie was for love and there’s no greater sacrifice. So it seemed like a good thing to end on.”
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Amazon finally has fully taken over the blockbuster spy franchise
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James Bond Shake-Up: Amazon Takes Creative Control of Franchise From Broccoli Family in New Deal
The studio will take the reins for the 60-year-old movie property, while Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will remain co-owners as they move to the sidelines as part of a joint venture transaction.
BY ETAN VLESSING
The James Bond movie franchise has gotten a shake-up, with Amazon MGM Studios and Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli forming a new joint venture to house the movie property’s intellectual property rights.
Under the terms of the agreement, Amazon MGM Studios will gain creative control of the James Bond franchise, while Wilson and Broccoli will remain co-owners of the 60-year-old property. In 2022, Amazon acquired MGM, including a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows.
Since the MGM acquisition, Amazon has held rights to distribute all of the James Bond films, and following completion of the joint venture transaction will control the creative on future productions.
“We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world, and to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide. We are honored to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world,” Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement on Thursday.
Wilson added he was stepping back from producing James Bond movies to focus on art and charitable projects. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future,” Wilson said in his own statement.
News of the joint venture comes amid continuing speculation about Bond 26, the next iteration of the 007 franchise, after Daniel Craig hung up the tuxedo for good in 2021’s No Time to Die. Barbara Broccoli echoed that it was time for her to step aside and allow Amazon MGM Studios to take over the creative reins.
“My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli. I have had the honor of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects,” Broccoli said.
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