- Amazon MGM Studios has taken creative control of the “James Bond” franchise.
- The longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will step back from decision-making.
- Amazon, in 2022, acquired MGM, which had the rights to the franchise.
Amazon MGM Studios announced on Thursday that it had taken over creative control of the beloved “James Bond” franchise after a years-long stall in naming the next bond. Jeff Bezos, however, isn’t wasting any time trying to change that.
Soon after Thursday’s announcement, the Amazon founder posted a screenshot of a BBC article announcing the creative change on Instagram, with the caption “Who’d you pick as the next Bond?”
It’s been four years and there’s been no news of who will be cast.
Thursday’s announcement also said the longtime guardians of the franchise, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, would step aside from decision-making.
“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. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
Broccoli said, “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 announcement said Amazon, Wilson, and Broccoli had created a joint venture to house the “Bond” IP. All will remain franchise co-owners, but Amazon MGM will have creative control.
In 2022, Amazon acquired MGM, which held the rights to all the “Bond” movies, for $6.5 billion. Amazon would release “Bond” movies going forward, but it didn’t have creative control.
That power was in the hands of Broccoli, the daughter of the producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, who launched “James Bond” into a goliath. For 30 years, Barbara Broccoli — along with Wilson — has called the shots on all things 007.
However, since Amazon got involved, things have been shaky.
The Wall Street Journal reported in December that Broccoli and Amazon were at an impasse on how to move forward with the franchise since the exit of Daniel Craig as Bond with 2021’s “No Time to Die.”
The Journal described it as “a clash between the 20th-century Hollywood of big screens and big swings and a new entertainment industry ruled by Silicon Valley firms that prize data, algorithms, and streaming subscriptions.”
The report said Broccoli nixed spin-off ideas suggested by Amazon executives and took offense when one referred to the franchise as “content.”
Business Insider’s request to Broccoli for comment was not immediately returned.
“No Time to Die,” the 25th movie in the “Bond” franchise, earned more than $774 million at the box office worldwide.
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