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James Bond (the movie franchise, not the spy) may be in deep jeopardy
The future of the iconic James Bond film franchise is shrouded in uncertainty as a bitter feud between Amazon and producer Barbara Broccoli threatens to bring the curtains down on the beloved series. As per The Wall Street Journal’s latest report, the stalemate has been ongoing since 2021 when Amazon acquired MGM for $8.5 billion.
It appears that the rift originated during Amazon’s takeover of MGM, which led to the tech giant acquiring the rights to distribute Bond films. However, it seems Barbara Broccoli, the producer who inherited the franchise from her father Albert “Cubby” Broccoli in 1996, is not pleased with the new arrangement. The power dynamics have shifted significantly since then, and Broccoli’s concerns are rooted in Amazon’s core business of retail and ecommerce.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Broccoli has expressed reservations about working with Amazon due to their lack of experience in film production. This sentiment was echoed by her co-producer Michael Wilson, who shared similar sentiments. Despite initial optimism that things would smooth over between the parties, a series of events led to a full-blown impasse.
One major point of contention is Amazon’s desire to expand the franchise beyond film and into other mediums like a spinoff series for Prime Video or a separate spy-themed TV show within the Bond universe. Barbara Broccoli has outright refused to budge on this issue, indicating that she will not compromise on her vision for the franchise.
Furthermore, the producer has also taken issue with Amazon’s use of the term “content” to describe new James Bond projects and ideas labeled as “TBD” in memos. These issues have led to a complete standstill on the next film installment, casting further doubt over the future of the series.
In an unprecedented move, Broccoli has even refused to greenlight a new Bond movie, effectively putting the franchise’s future at risk. The situation is dire enough that she has started training her colleague Gregg Wilson’s son, potentially preparing him to take over the franchise in the near future. This has led to disagreements on who should play Bond in the next film, which might not even happen anymore.
As a result of these conflicts, it seems unlikely that we will be seeing another Bond movie anytime soon.
Source: www.engadget.com
