What Will Amazon Do With Creative Control of the James Bond Franchise?

image from the opening
Courtesy Everett Collection
Sean Connery as James Bond in the opening gunbarrel sequence for Thunderball

James Bond’s next mission will come from Amazon MGM Studios.

Amazon MGM Studios has struck a deal with James Bond intellectual property rights owners Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to assume creative control of the franchise. Wilson and Broccoli will retain co-ownership.

Amazon acquired MGM and its vast film and TV library in 2022, and has rights to distribute all of the James Bond movies.

“Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment,” says 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 honored to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”

Wilson, who has been a producer or executive producer on every James Bond film since 1979’s Moonraker, is stepping aside from to focus on art and philanthropy. Broccoli, Wilson’s half-sister, has been a producer on Bond films since 1995’s GoldenEye.

“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,” Broccoli says. “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.”

No Time To Die was released in 2021 and was the last to star Daniel Craig in the title role. Since then, speculation has run rampant about who will succeed him beginning with the 26th film.

“Bond 26” is in the earliest stages of development, but expect the powers that be at Amazon to accelerate that operation.

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March 2020

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