Posted on 03/30/2025 6:53:07 AM PDT by dennisw
Amazon MGM reported to pay Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson $1 billion to take over full creative control of James Bond.
As The James Bond Dossier reported yesterday Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson are to step down from 007, leaving Amazon to chart the course for the franchise. What wasn’t known until now was the price tag. Amazon, having already spent $8.5 billion acquiring MGM, has had to invest another $1 billion to remove the final obstacle—Broccoli and Wilson’s creative control.
For over sixty years, the Broccoli name has been synonymous with Bond. Wilson, now 83, had long planned to retire, but Broccoli’s departure was unexpected. Insiders suggest the fight against Amazon’s ambitions became too much. The streaming giant has made no secret of its desire to transform Bond into a franchise in the Marvel mould, a vision that clashed with Broccoli’s insistence on keeping 007 a singular cinematic event. She had resisted for years, but with Wilson gone, the battle was hers alone. “She’s a fighter,” one source told Deadline, “but she got tired of fighting.”
With Broccoli and Wilson out, Amazon’s plans can now move forward unimpeded. The slow-moving development cycles of the Broccoli era are likely over. Amazon, accustomed to rapid turnarounds, will want more frequent releases, and spin-offs—once unthinkable under Broccoli—are now back on the table. A film centred on Halle Berry’s Jinx was famously blocked in 2003; projects like that may finally see the light of day. But the biggest question remains the future of Bond himself. Casting has yet to be decided, and for the first time in decades, the decision rests entirely outside the Broccoli family.
Amazon’s upcoming presence at CinemaCon in April may offer the first real insight into its plans. The company is in the process of building its own theatrical distribution arm, which means it could not only produce Bond films but also release them directly, without relying on outside studios. That level of control is unprecedented in the franchise’s history, and the implications are enormous.
The industry reaction has been divided. Some see Amazon’s deep pockets as a chance to revitalise the series, potentially attracting directors like Christopher Nolan, who in the past were put off by Broccoli’s tight grip on creative decisions. Others fear the worst. One British film executive warned that without Broccoli’s careful supervision, Bond risks becoming “Jack Reacher in some TV show.” The truth is, no one yet knows what a post-Broccoli Bond looks like.
What is certain is that James Bond has entered uncharted territory. The Broccoli family built a legacy that lasted more than sixty years, shaping Bond into a globally recognised icon while fiercely protecting the series’ integrity. Whether Amazon will maintain that legacy—or reshape Bon
Amazon MGM Studios assumes creative control of James Bond franchise as Broccoli era concludes
David Leigh
20 February 2025
For the first time in over six decades, the James Bond franchise will move forward without the creative direction of the Broccoli family.
Amazon MGM Studios will take full creative control of the James Bond franchise following a new agreement with long-time producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The deal marks the end of an era for the Broccoli dynasty, which has steered 007 through Hollywood’s changing landscape since Dr No (1962).
The end of the Broccoli-Wilson partnership
Michael G Wilson, now 83, had already signalled his intention to retire, and confirming now that he is stepping back to focus on art and charitable projects. Now, Broccoli has confirmed that she too will step back from producing Bond films. In an official statement, she explained:
With both long-time producers stepping aside, Amazon now has full creative authority over the next era of Bond.
What does Amazon MGM’s takeover mean for Bond?
Amazon’s ambitions for 007 extend beyond simply producing films. The company has been working to expand its theatrical distribution arm, positioning itself to handle Bond’s global releases directly rather than relying on outside studios. This would allow Amazon to control both the creative and commercial aspects of the franchise, ensuring maximum return on its investment.
That shift could spell the end of the long development timelines that have become a hallmark of the Broccoli-Wilson era. While No Time to Die took nearly six years to reach the screen, Amazon—accustomed to faster turnarounds—may push for a more aggressive release schedule.
A new Bond, a new direction
With Daniel Craig’s tenure as 007 officially over, speculation over the next James Bond has been rampant. Yet, no casting decisions have been made, and Bond 26 remains in limbo. With Barbara Broccoli no longer holding creative control, Amazon now has the power to reshape Bond’s future in a way unseen since the franchise began.
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, framed the shift as an opportunity to continue the Bond legacy while ushering in a new era.
Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment,” Hopkins said. “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 honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.
In the short term, the biggest change may be how Bond films are marketed and distributed. Amazon’s upcoming appearance at CinemaCon in April could provide the first glimpse into its vision for Bond’s future, particularly as it builds its international distribution capabilities.
For Bond fans, the uncertainty lingers. The Broccoli name has been synonymous with 007 for over 60 years, shaping the franchise’s identity and keeping it rooted in the traditions established by Cubby Broccoli. Whether Amazon MGM can maintain that legacy—or whether Bond will be reshaped to fit a more modern, corporate model—remains to be seen.
One thing, however, is certain: James Bond has entered uncharted territory.
The Bond Franchise to be destroyed by woke crap in 3....2....1....
No doubt the next Bond will be a Black, Muslim, Transexual, Vegetarian, Communist.
Money well spent because I haven’t watched a Bond movie since forever. No one cares about the Bond franchise anymore. No one watches Spanky and the Our Gang anymore. I don’t listen to 1970’s folk music. They’re all dead. He should use the billion to buy gold or something. Keep it in the bank, make the interest.
Amazon is doing OK with Reacher. Maybe they’ll make bond BOND again.
“She had resisted for years, but with Wilson gone, the battle was hers alone. “She’s a fighter,” one source told Deadline, “but she got tired of fighting.””
So say no once and refuse any further discussions. Freaking rich idiots…
Best case scenario is that Amazon puts a solid man in charge of its James Bond movies. They get a solid actor to play James Bond. No politically correct DEI scripts.
You will see a new James Bond movie every two years like clockwork.
Look how Disney ruined Star Wars and Snow White, etc. Amazon has a fine example of how NOT to do James Bond.
And will no doubt be driving one of those fancy new Jaguars.
Maybe the Snow White disaster will give them a clue.
Barbara Broccoli ->> Billion for bailing on Bond.
Reacher is idiotic. The Tom Cruise minute was good, but the TV series is lame with that libtard nfl looking guy.
“Maybe the Snow White disaster will give them a clue.”
Or Star Wars
Or Indiana Jones
“Best case scenario is that Amazon puts a solid man in charge of its James Bond movies. They get a solid actor to play James Bond. No politically correct DEI scripts.”
That kind of childlike innocence is almost refreshing. But there is no possibility of that, none. They even turned Walker Texas Ranger into a gay single dad.
It’ll be another marvel style cgi disaster with blacks and females.
By JOHN NOLTE — Breitbart — March 28 2025
Jen Salke, the DEI hire who became an out-of-touch embarrassment, has finally stepped down as chief of Amazon/MGM Studios.
Undoubtedly, her legacy will be spending a half-billion dollars to woke-rape Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power into a national joke. Additionally, she signed Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who?) to a $60 million TV deal that has resulted in nothing. The final straw appears to have been her epic mishandling of the James Bond franchise, which Amazon spent billions to acquire through the purchase of MGM Studios in 2021, primarily to get its hands on the Bond franchise. Various reports claimed Salke repeatedly alienated Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the creative team that has overseen the franchise for decades.
At one point, Broccoli described Salke as an “idiot” who did not understand the franchise at all. Salke didn’t even consider James Bond a hero. In her fascist eyes, I guess she saw him as a white, hetero-colonialist.
Apparently, these disagreements led to the lack of a James Bond movie being put into pre-production, which did not sit well with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is eager to get the 007 ball rolling. In the end, Broccoli and Wilson accepted a $1 billion payoff to fully release the 007 franchise to Amazon.
Give Amazon credit for at least off-loading this failure, while Kathleen Kennedy remains firmly entrenched at Disney as she woke-rapes Star Wars and Indiana Jones into flops.
What kind of moron puts someone who hates a franchise in charge of that franchise? Well, that moron would be Disney.
Putting Kathleen Kennedy in charge of Star Wars and Jen Salke in charge of Lord of the Rings is like handing your child over to a nanny who hates your child.
Amazon seems to have understood just how big a problem this was and off-loaded Salke before she turned James Bond into a humorless and smug bisexual righting all the wrongs of Great Britain’s colonial past.
Watching all the woke chickens come home to roost with these firings and box office flops is beyond gratifying. Hollywood thought it could change human nature rather than appeal to it, and the results have been permanently catastrophic to once-bulletproof brands like Disney, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.
Thankfully, we have home video, a treasure trove from the past when Hollywood was run by storytellers instead of neurotic white women and leftists who despise their own customers.
that used to identify as a unicorn.
Good luck on turning a profit on that
“Reacher is idiotic. The Tom Cruise minute was good, but the TV series is lame with that libtard nfl looking guy.”
Reacher moves very very slow like molasses. I don’t get it and don’t watch it. Though I gave it a try. Since I am paying for it via Prime. I’ll sample season 3, that my friend says is good.
As for a good series try
Person Of Interest
It has Jim Caviezel and he plays a tough guy (doing good deeds) very well.
Howz about Tim Walz as the new woke Bond? Remember, in a DemocRAT world, this is an appealing suggestion.
Amazon has backed away from producing things with woke content.
They found that they lost financially doing that.
Truth is, do we really need another Bond? Maybe, if it is top notch like the old days.
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