007 franchise sold to Amazon including creative control

[RandomHero]

https://variety.com/2025/film/global/james-bond-amazon-mgm-gain-creative-control-1236313930/

This seems bad.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Terrible news. They'll destroy it just like Disney did Star Wars. I'm actually shocked Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson are doing this. They don't have to worry about casting anyone now.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Awful news.
https://variety.com/2025/film/global/james-bond-amazon-mgm-gain-creative-control-1236313930/

 

[chrisstbh]

Not necessary awful. Amazon makes a lot of good stuff.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Aside from Fallout and Invincible I disagree.

Please don't say Rings of Power.

 

[chrisstbh]

Aside from Fallout and Invincible I disagree.

Please don't say Rings of Power.

Fallout
Invincible
Reacher
The Boys
Gen V
Upload
The Legend of Vox Machina
Secret Level
The Expanse S4-6

Way more hits than misses imo.

 

[matrix69]

Goodbye Mr Bond...

 

[lordnastrond]

I hope they do good stuff with this, wonder who they would cast as Bond?
Henry Cavill is probably still available.....




With all that said, I will NEVER forgive Amazon for what they did to Tolkien in Rings of Power!
I can look past them being an evil megalithic corporation destined to swallow us all - but that writing put war crimes to shame.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Even the Boys dropped off the past season. Nothing lasts forever. I'm actually shocked especially after reading Barbara's statement. She had to continue her family's legacy. Being an owner brings wealth yes but the actual quality will drop. Her father would be so disappointed in her.

 

[KitbashOfficer]

Not necessary awful. Amazon makes a lot of good stuff.

I also would say not awful. Sometimes a change in direction can be good. It will mostly depend on who will play Bond, who is writing and who is directing - in that order.

 

[Bravomite]

Dalton and Connery are my favourite Bond actors. I wish Dalton had been bond in Goldeneye and Connery in OHMSS. If OHMSS had come before you only live twice and the two films edited accordingly then that would have been one hell of a run (connery does not return for diamonds are forever and Blofeld is finished off in YOLT).

I like Moore for nostalgia mainly and his first three outings were pretty good. Moore had some brilliant villains and the comedy elements are fine for some alt universe bond.

I don't really like Craig that much, he is bit too much of a brute and lacks the finesse of an actual spy. His films and series are a bit underwhelming and under developed as a whole and the best one is based on an actual novel so no surprises there.

Brosnan was OK but his films (which I count as everything after Goldeneye as they were written for his version of bond) are a bit lame and die another day was one of my worst cinematic experiences (and I had to see it a second time in the cinema as a reward through school!).

The less said about 'the othe guy' the better.

I'm still here for nearly everything bond they out out probably but I don't need more Craig.

 

[abake]

This is odd... they had hit movies, liked by both audiences and critics, and re-energised the franchise only to give it to Amazon?

 

[chrisstbh]

Even the Boys dropped off the past season.

Hard disagree but to each their own.

 

[SwedishHeat]

This is odd... they had hit movies, liked by both audiences and critics, and re-energised the franchise only to give it to Amazon?

As I understand it, Amazon had enough control that neither party could do anything without the approval of the other. I think the situation was that the Wilson/Brocoli could make a movie, but only Amazon could release it. Amazon would give them money to make a movie, but wouldn't do so unless it was something they wanted. Amazon couldn't make a movie without the W/B's involvement. W/B didn't want to make a movie with Amazon because they wanted their own sole creative control. Nobody was going to budge. But presumably Amazon gave them enough money to make them go away

 

[Johnny Utah]

I have a feeling they're going to do what HBO are doing with Harry Potter.

Either remake all the books as movies or tv shows. So like season 1 is Casino Royale etc.

 

[matrix69]

On the other hand, it may save Mr. Bond, since they are not beholden to No Time To Die's on-screen death.

While Bond has always had only a a loose ongoing timeline narrative, with re-boots, it was somewhat loosely implied it was the same "character", just played by different actors.
Yet forgoing a re-boot, by their own narrative and on-screen death, there was now "fan" expectations it would now not just be a new actor playing Bond, but a new character being their Bond.
If that distinction makes sense.
To them meaning outrageous takes like; it was always been a code name, so anyone (read as; poc, female, lbg, non-binary, etc) can now be the new Bond. etc.

If that is where they were heading, MGMazon can just callously re-boot and ignore those expectations, cast without being beholden to that baggage of the characters death.

If it's radically different and alienates the hardcore Bond fan base it will be doomed and short lived.

Hopefully their eyes are opened to what happens when you mishandle a beloved franchise... Star wars, Dr who etc.

 

[Rambler]

I always thought the plan was to "reboot" after NTTD and move on from the Craig series of movies.

 

[Mondragon]

I always thought the plan was to "reboot" after NTTD and move on from the Craig series of movies.

Not sure what their plan was? They may have been setting up for the daughter to be the new Bond?
Or a re-boot as described with a "radically different" Bond.

If it's radically different and alienates the hardcore Bond fan base it will be doomed and short lived.

Hopefully their eyes are opened to what happens when you mishandle a beloved franchise... Star wars, Dr who etc.

I doubt any eyes have been opened, if anything the trend has been to double down, and see any so called "hardcore" fans as the problem.
Incapable of coming up with anything new, they see subverting the franchises they never liked to begin with, as being the true creative process.

Curious what MGMazon has in mind for the franchise?
And which license Hot Toys actually got.
Again I imagine what HT has secured, is the license for the past incarnations.

 

[DrWeaponX]

On the other hand, it may save Mr. Bond, since they are not beholden to No Time To Die's on-screen death.

While Bond has always had only loose ongoing timeline narrative, with re-boots, it was somewhat loosely implied it was the same "character", just played by different actors.
Yet forgoing a re-boot, by their own narrative and on-screen death, there was now "fan" expectations it would now not just be a new actor playing Bond, but a new character being their Bond.
If that distinction makes sense.
To them meaning outrageous takes like; it was always been a code name, so anyone (read as hypthetical ; female, poc, lbg, non-binary, etc) can now be the new Bond. etc.

If that is where they were heading, MGMazon can just callously re-boot and ignore those expectations, cast without being beholden to that baggage of the characters death.

Anyway hopefully what HT has secured, is the license for the all the past incarnations.

I’m a hardcore Bond fan and one thing that rings true is the following: James Bond is in no way, shape, or form a code name. It’s his literal name. 007 is, however, a mere call sign. Even as a kid, I always saw Bond as basically the first meta-multiverse; it’s the same character but in different timelines, including the literary version. It also makes zero sense because it’s wonky and impossible and self-referential, breaking the 4th wall (looking at you OHMSS). I refused to watch NTTD because of the decision to kill off the character because that’s a cheap, tired, and uninspired move.

To your point, I see Amazon butchering this. They did an amazing job with LOTR /sarc so I expect the same level of reverence and creativity to apply here.

 

[TheClient]

I'm actually shocked especially after reading Barbara's statement. She had to continue her family's legacy. Being an owner brings wealth yes but the actual quality will drop. Her father would be so disappointed in her.

Bezos probably made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Hand over your agent, or we’ll send an agent to you.