Amazon MGM Studios, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli formed a new joint venture in which they will co-own James Bond intellectual property rights. This means that Amazon MGM will have creative control of the franchise reported apnews.
“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,” Wilson said in a statement. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
Thursday’s announcement marks the first time in over half a century that a Broccoli will not be approving the next 007 film or selecting Bond’s successor. Amazon acquired MGM Studios in 2022 for $6.1 billion, largely driven by the appeal of securing one of cinema’s most enduring franchises. With plans to expand the franchise beyond the big screen. It will be interesting to see what unfolds in the future for 007.
“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,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. “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.”
The Bond franchise has been a family-run enterprise since Albert “Cubby” Broccoli acquired the rights to adapt Ian Fleming’s novels. He then went on to launch a legacy of 25 films produced by Eon Productions, starting with 1962’s Dr. No. Amassing a staggering $7.6 billion at the box office over the years.
In 1995, the elder Broccoli handed over control of Eon to his daughter, Broccoli, and stepson, Wilson. In recent years, the 64-year-old Broccoli has largely taken the lead as Wilson, 83, has aged into retirement.
“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,” Broccoli said in a statement. “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.”
Broccoli and Wilson’s standoff with Amazon MGM stalled development on the next Bond film. This left the film without a script, director, or star. An unusually long gap for the franchise.
A crucial aspect of MGM’s acquisition by Amazon was the producers’ insistence on a theatrical release for James Bond films. However, with the franchise now under the control of an e-commerce giant with a major streaming service, the announcement has been met with much skepticism by the fans. Other billion-dollar franchises, like Disney’s Star Wars and Marvel, have recently faced challenges with over-saturation. And there is a concern of this playing out here as well.
Joe Russo, co-director of four Marvel Cinematic Universe films including “Avengers: Endgame,” pleaded to Amazon MGM: “DON’T cinematic universe James Bond.”
“It is one of our last, great theatrical events,” Russo said on X. “Don’t dilute that with a plethora of streaming spin-offs.”
