“Who’d you pick as the next Bond?” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos requested his 6.8 million X followers on Thursday, the day it was introduced that the James Bond franchise will now be creatively managed by Amazon MGM Studios.
The company has taken guardianship over the British spy sequence from longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the daughter and stepson, respectively, of authentic Bond steward Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, who died in 1996.
According to the settlement, Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson, and Broccoli have fashioned a brand new three way partnership to deal with the James Bond mental property rights. All three events will retain co-ownership of the franchise, however following the closing of the transaction, Amazon MGM may have final inventive say over the character’s path in future movies. Amazon MGM Studios was fashioned in 2022 when Amazon purchased Bond’s mother or father studio in an $8.5 billion deal—with the Bond IP believed to be sizable motivation for the acquisition.
“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,” Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios mentioned in a press release. “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.”
Based on Ian Fleming’s novels, Bond was first launched to the moviegoing public by the senior Broccoli and Saltzman with 1962’s Dr. No. Over the following 60 years, Wilson joined as a producer for 1985’s A View to a Kill. Once her father retired, Broccoli partnered along with her stepbrother as a producer on 1995’s GoldenEye—a collaboration that has endured till now.
“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,” Wilson mentioned in a press release.
Broccoli mentioned in her personal remarks: “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 honour 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.”
The shaking and stirring of the cocktail that’s James Bond comes amid uncertainty in regards to the franchise’s future. Daniel Craig’s final bow as 007 got here in 2021’s No Time to Die. Prior to Craig’s departure, Broccoli instructed Variety in 2020 that the superspy “can be of any color, but he is male,” including, “I believe we should be creating new characters for women—strong female characters. I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.”
Since then, there was rampant hypothesis about who’s taking part in Bond, which Broccoli final addressed shortly after the Amazon MGM merger. “We’re working out where to go with him,” she mentioned at a 2022 BFI occasion, in line with Deadline. “It’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is, and that takes time.”
There appears to have been little motion on the following Bond movie, presumably partially due to a “decaying partnership” between Amazon and the longtime producers, as reported by The Wall Street Journal final December. Sources instructed the publication that Broccoli had confided in buddies that she was involved over the abrupt departures of MGM movie bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy following the corporate’s sale. The WSJ additionally reported that Broccoli, dismayed over using the phrase “content” in relation to James Bond throughout one assembly, allegedly instructed buddies of Amazon brass, “These people are fucking idiots.” (Vanity Fair has reached out to representatives for Eon, the manufacturing firm behind the Bond movies, in addition to Amazon MGM for remark.)
Since information of Amazon’s inventive oversight, Joe Russo, a frequent director within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wrote on X to plead that the corporate “DON’T cinematic universe James Bond,” including, “It is one of our last, great theatrical events. Don’t dilute that with a plethora of streaming spin-offs.”
Last 12 months, the newest Bond paid tribute to Broccoli and Wilson for his or her dedication to shepherding the character’s cinematic output. “Over the years, many people and organizations have tried to put their own footprint on Bond,” Craig mentioned whereas presenting them with honorary Oscars final November. “Barbara, Michael, I can’t tell you how much I admire your integrity in holding on to your singular vision as you brought Bond into the 21st century with a passionate and protective determination to honor the heart of this franchise.”