Big changes today at Amazon MI5 – we mean Amazon MGM. It is set to take over creative control of the James Bond franchise, taking over the reins from the Broccoli family who have been 007’s stewards for decades.
Longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will form a new joint venture with Amazon MGM Studios, with each party still co-owners of the franchise. But crucially, the deal sees Broccoli and Wilson move away from creative ownership for the future direction of the franchise.
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“With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I’m stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects,” Wilson said of the announcement.
“That’s why Barbara and I agree that it’s time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”
“My life has been dedicated to sustaining and building on the extraordinary legacy that was handed down to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli,” Broccoli added.
“I’ve had the honor of working closely with four of the hugely talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of amazing artists in the industry. With the conclusion of ‘No Time to Die’ and Michael retiring from films, I feel it’s time to focus on my other projects.”
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On Her Majesty’s streaming service
Although a somewhat shocking announcement, given how closely linked the Broccoli family is to the Bond name, it is an inevitable piece of news.
Amazon bought MGM back in 2022 for $8.5 billion, gaining a gigantic catalog of over 4000 films and more than 17,000 shows in the process – among them the rights to the James Bond films. Amazon MGM Studios was born, and it felt like there was no way to stop the process.
But the Broccoli family has been incredibly protective of the franchise over the decades, ensuring a consistent level of quality that has elevated them above most other long-standing franchises. This extended not only to the control of the key decision – e.g., who would play James Bond in each iteration of the franchise – but also where the universe could expand beyond the films. That’s why we haven’t seen a million James Bond spin-off shows over the years, even since the Amazon acquisition.
But now? These floodgates can open. James Bond TV series, spin-off movies, the works and a brand new team that takes on the iconic Double-O codename. For better or worse? We’ll have to see. But given the only new Bond stuff we’ve had since Amazon got involved was the gruesome reality TV show 007: Road to a Million, we might need some martinis to avoid getting shaken and/or touched.
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