After many months and reportedly calling Amazon "idiots", Barbaba
Broccoli now simply hands the entire franchise over to them. I guess
the number of zeroes on the cheque changed her mind. Now fans can no
doubt expect loads of Political Correctness silliness and a massive
cash-in exercise of spin-offs ruining yet another franchise. :-\
James Bond's long-serving producers give control to Amazon
----------------------------------------------------------
The James Bond film franchise will no longer be controlled
by the Broccoli dynasty, after long-serving masterminds
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson announced they are
stepping down.
The Bond films were launched by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli in
1962, before his daughter and stepson took over.
The pair will now give creative control to Amazon MGM
Studios, which was formed when Amazon bought Bond's parent
studio in 2022.
The new deal comes after mounting speculation about the fate
of the British spy, four years after his last outing in
No Time to Die, which was also Daniel Craig's final
appearance in the role.
Amazon will now decide which actor will take over the famous
character, but there is still no timescale for when that
that will happen or when the next film will be made.
James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James are among
the bookmakers' favourites to fill Craig's shoes.
After Thursday's announcement, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
canvassed fans' opinion on social media, asking: "Who'd you
pick as the next Bond?"
After many months and reportedly calling Amazon "idiots", Barbaba
Broccoli now simply hands the entire franchise over to them. I guess the number of zeroes on the cheque changed her mind. Now fans can no doubt
expect loads of Political Correctness silliness and a massive cash-in exercise of spin-offs ruining yet another franchise. :-\
James Bond's long-serving producers give control to Amazon
----------------------------------------------------------
The James Bond film franchise will no longer be controlled
by the Broccoli dynasty, after long-serving masterminds
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson announced they are
stepping down.
The Bond films were launched by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli in
1962, before his daughter and stepson took over.
The pair will now give creative control to Amazon MGM
Studios, which was formed when Amazon bought Bond's parent
studio in 2022.
The new deal comes after mounting speculation about the fate
of the British spy, four years after his last outing in
No Time to Die, which was also Daniel Craig's final
appearance in the role.
Amazon will now decide which actor will take over the famous
character, but there is still no timescale for when that
that will happen or when the next film will be made.
James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James are among
the bookmakers' favourites to fill Craig's shoes.
After Thursday's announcement, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
canvassed fans' opinion on social media, asking: "Who'd you
pick as the next Bond?"
A statement said Broccoli and Wilson will "remain co-owners
of the franchise" as part of a new joint venture but Amazon
MGM Studios "will gain creative control".
Wilson, 83, said: "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.
"Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted
partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the
future."
Broccoli, 64, added: "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.
"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."
Cubby Broccoli launched the iconic franchise with co-producer
Harry Saltzman, and was joined by Wilson as a producing partner
for 1985's A View to a Kill.
Barbara took over from her father to join Wilson as a producer
for 1995's GoldenEye, and the pair have overseen every Bond
film since through their Eon production house.
They kept tight control of the character - something that was
acknowledged by Craig when he presented them with honorary
Oscars in November. "Over the years many people and
organisations have tried to put their own footprint on Bond,"
he said.
"Barbara, Michael, I can't tell you how much I admire your
integrity in holding on to your singular vision as you brought
Bond into the 21st Century with a passionate and a protective
determination to honour the heart of this franchise."
'Next phase' for 007
In 2021, when Amazon agreed to take over MGM, which shared the
rights to Bond with Eon, Broccoli and Wilson said they would
keep creative control.
However, they have now relinquished the reins, and the deal
raises the prospect of a rethink and an expansion of the
franchise.
The US giant could commission more streaming spin-offs, for
example, such as how the Star Wars universe has been expanded
on Disney+.
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios,
said: "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."
Last year, Amazon launched the first spin-off TV series,
007: Road to a Million, hosted by Succession star Brian Cox.
It featured nine teams in a race to win £1m each through a
series of spy-themed challenges. However, that series was
poorly received by some fans and critics and Cox later joked
that he signed on to the project thinking it was the next James
Bond film.
News of Thursday's deal helps to explain why there has been a
long delay without any announcement about a 26th official Bond
film, or its star.
Given how much time it takes to make a blockbuster movie, the
gap between No Time To Die and the next film could break the
six-year record for the longest period between Bond releases.
Last August, the Telegraph's chief film critic Robbie Collin
wrote that there was "no script, no title, not even a director"
for a new instalment.
In October, Amazon MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke told the
Guardian there were "a lot of different ways we can go" with the
franshise, and that "we don't want too much time between films,
but we are not concerned at this point".
She also said the company had "a good and close relationship"
with Broccoli and Wilson.
However in December, the Wall Street Journal reported that
"the relationship between the family that oversees the franchise
and the e-commerce giant has all but collapsed".
The newspaper also claimed that Broccoli had privately described
Amazon as "idiots".
<https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mn9gz5x3mo>
In October, Amazon MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke told the
Guardian there were "a lot of different ways we can go" with the
franshise,
On 2025-02-24 08:34:41 +0000, super70s said:
On 2025-02-21 20:50:15 +0000, BTR1701 said:
On Feb 21, 2025 at 11:27:20 AM PST, "super70s" <super70s@super70s.invalid> >>> wrote:
In October, Amazon MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke told the
Guardian there were "a lot of different ways we can go" with the
franshise,
Thunderbezos
Live and Let Prime
From Seattle, With Love
Firestickfinger
"The name's Bond... Jeff Bond."
The Porch Pirate Who Loved Me
Female Bond
Black Bond
Asian Bond
Dwarfism Bond
Wheelchair Bond
Lots and lots of "ways they can go" ... all of them utterly ridiculous.
Plus, every time you watch the movie, there will be a pile of pop-up >"personalised" adverts and 152 web cookies donwloaded to your brain.
Female Bond
Black Bond
Asian Bond
Dwarfism Bond
Wheelchair Bond
...
Lots and lots of "ways they can go" ... all of them utterly ridiculous.
Plus, every time you watch the movie, there will be a pile of pop-up >"personalised" adverts and 152 web cookies donwloaded to your brain.
On Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:12:46 +1300, Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com>
wrote:
Female Bond
Black Bond
Asian Bond
Dwarfism Bond
Wheelchair Bond
...
Lots and lots of "ways they can go" ... all of them utterly ridiculous.
Plus, every time you watch the movie, there will be a pile of pop-up
"personalised" adverts and 152 web cookies donwloaded to your brain.
I'd be satisfied if they just did a James Bond version of "Robin and
Marion" and ended the series there. "Robin and Marion" of course being
one of Sean Connery's better pieces of work.
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