Hollywood is still staggering from yesterday’s news that longtime James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson had ceded creative control to Amazon MGM Studios. The move was a shock because Broccoli and Wilson had been the guiding forces for many years, and now they’ve allowed Amazon MGM to do basically whatever it wants with the franchise, meaning a potential cinematic universe could be around the corner.
While Wilson is in his 80s and entering retirement, Broccoli is younger and had been active as ever. So what caused them to make such a decision? Well, the answer should be obvious: money. Deadline reports Amazon MGM shelled out an extra $1B billion to Broccoli and Wilson to take a step back and become producers only, kicking open the door for Bond sequels, spinoffs, origin stories, and more.
And like clockwork, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was on social media to start asking fans who they want to see as the next James Bond. It’s exactly the kind of crowd-sourced, wish-listed approach that Broccoli never would’ve allowed. Since Daniel Craig’s final go as 007 in No Time to Die, Broccoli and Amazon MGM have been at loggerheads as to who should replace him. Sources say it’s a big part of the reason why she stepped down…
“Perhaps,” the source told Deadline, “I do think that it’s possible that if God had sent us a totally no-brainer Bond in the last couple of years, then it might be a different situation.”
Another source says they don’t think there is a current frontrunner to play Bond, and that includes popular pick Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
So what does Craig have to say about these developments? In a statement to Variety, he offered nothing but kindness and respect to Broccoli and Wilson, along with a hope they can work together in the future…
“My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished,” said Craig. “I wish Michael a long, relaxing (and well deserved) retirement and whatever ventures Barbara goes on to do, I know they will be spectacular and I hope I can be part of them.”
For more on the James Bond/Amazon situation, check out the most recent episode of Cinema Royale either on YouTube or anywhere you get your podcasts.
