2024-12-20 22:16:08| Engadget
Movie icon and super spy James Bond seemed to be on another rise to the top of the box office just a few years ago, but things have been almost as quiet as a shot from a Walther PPK with a silencer ever since then. Daniel Craig took on the role in 2006 with Casino Royale and passed the baton with 2021s No Time to Die in one of the most heart-wrenching endings in Bonds cinematic history (you cried, just admit it).
The only thing sadder is the reason why we havent seen a new Bond movie since then.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon and Barbara Broccoli, the producer who inherited the franchise from her father and film producer Albert Cubby Broccoli when he died in 1996, are in the middle of an ugly fight thats halted production on the next Bond film. Apparently, Barbara doesnt trust Amazon with her familys famous film franchise.
How bad is it? Well, heres a quote from Barbara to some of her friends explaining how she feels about the people who run Amazons media empire: These people are fing idiots. Man, thats awkward with a capital awk.
The stalemate started back in 2021 when Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion and thus acquired the rights to distribute Bond films, according to Variety. The deal seemed like a big move for Amazon to weave its way into Hollywood using one of its most storied and rock solid film franchises.
Unfortunately for Amazon, the true power over the James Bond films lies with Broccoli. She supplies the ideas for Bonds big screen adventures and when they go into production, and Broccoli isnt keen on working with Amazon anytime soon. The WSJ spoke to 20 people familiar with the feud who say Broccoli feels Amazon isnt the right place for a Bond movie because its core business is retail and ecommerce.
When Amazon purchased MGM, clinching the rights to the Bond franchise was a key part of the deals value. Broccoli and co-producer Michael Wilson had some reservations but were assured they would still retain creative control. COVID lockdowns were already making it hard to jump into the next Bond film production as well. However, things seemed to be smoothing over between the two parties when Amazon also insisted that its next Bond movie No Time to Die would get a theatrical release.
But as soon as the deal closed, Amazon executives started thinking of ways to expand the Bond film franchise to other mediums like a Moneypenny spinoff series for Prime Video or a separate spy film or TV show that took place in the Bond universe. Broccoli refused to let any of these projects go forward. She also took umbrage with Amazon entertainment executive Jennifer Salkes use of the word content to describe new James Bond projects and any ideas Amazon had for Bond were labeled TBD in memos. To date, the only Bond property Amazon could get Broccoli to sign off on is a reality series 007: Road to a Million thats entering its second season.
Broccoli and her family have been part of the Bond movie franchise for almost as long as she lived so shes fiercely protective of the brand and her fathers cinematic legacy. Shes also started training Wilsons son Gregg to produce recent installments and possibly prepare him to take over the franchise someday. Even that has led to disagreements over who should play Bond in the next film. Thats assuming we get one and it doesnt look like that will happen anytime soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/james-bond-the-movie-franchise-not-the-spy-may-be-in-deep-jeopardy-211608094.html?src=rss
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