- Amazon is taking control of the James Bond franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
- The exit of the franchise's longtime producers marks a major shift in direction.
- Bond expert John Cork says casting the right 007 is crucial to maintaining the franchise's legacy.
James Bond is in a tight spot, and no witty one-liner or fancy gadget is going to help him out this time.
The news that Jeff Bezos' Amazon has taken control of the Bond franchise from its longtime producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, marks the end of an era and raises questions about the franchise's future.
With no actor signed on yet to play Bond — 2021's "No Time to Die" marked the final installment for the most recent 007, Daniel Craig — Amazon has a chance to reboot the franchise and take it in any direction it chooses.
But will it take a risk on casting an unconventional 007, focus on spinoffs, or play it safe?
John Cork, a filmmaker and author who has produced, written, and directed more than 30 documentaries for MGM's James Bond releases, shared his insight with Business Insider, offering up some ideas for what Bezos and Amazon can do to continue the legacy of one of film's most iconic characters.
Broccoli and Wilson's influence on Bond goes back decades, giving them the instant credibility Amazon lacks
A full reboot of the franchise hasn't been on the table since the early 1990s, when Broccoli and Wilson stepped in, casting Pierce Brosnan as the new Bond and releasing "GoldenEye" in 1995. The movie went on to became a box office sensation, proving that Bond was still relevant in the post-Cold War era.
As the daughter and stepson of producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, who originated the Bond franchise, half-siblings Broccoli and Wilson had deep ties the legacy of 007. Wilson had written the previous five Bond movies before producing "GoldenEye" and came up with the thrilling opening sequences for 1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me" and 1979's "Moonraker." Broccoli was the franchise's "beating heart," as Cork put it; she'd cement her own legacy decades later when she cast Daniel Craig.
"The history of commercial businesses is littered with ventures that have failed because the children of moguls have attempted to fill their parents' shoes," Cork told BI. "Barbara and Michael did it with spectacular success and grace."
Like Dave Filoni with "Star Wars" and Kevin Feige with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Broccoli and Wilson were the gatekeepers of Bond who didn't just know its history chapter and verse but had a proven track record of pulling off the gargantuan task of producing a Bond movie for the big screen.
With Amazon soon at the helm, they'll have to get acquainted with the franchise's long and storied history and deep fan base — fast.
"You have an audience drumming its fingers going, 'Okay Amazon, prove to me you know how to not screw this up,'" Cork said.
Casting the right James Bond will be Amazon's biggest test
Beyond creating stories filled with thrilling action set in breathtaking locales, the best way for Amazon to silence the doubters is to choose the right James Bond.
"Audiences are very forgiving to a wide variety of interpretations, but every line and every movement needs to feel like something that James Bond would do," Cork said.
Nailing the Bond casting — not focusing on any potential spinoffs — should be the name of the game, Cork added.
"It's very hard to do a James Bond movie or series without James Bond," he said of potential spinoffs in the Bond universe. "The thing that differentiates a James Bond film from every other film out there is the character of James Bond."
But who should play Bond, and is it time to cast someone other than a white British man?
"I don't know, because I haven't seen it tried the other way," Cork said. "All I can say is if I was spending the kind of money that Amazon has spent to gain control of James Bond, do I wish to take the riskiest path and risk the value of the entire franchise off of making a deeply unconventional casting choice?"
Whatever Amazon ultimately decides, Cork said he'll be first in line to see what adventures 007 takes on next.
"There are things that go on here that are invisible to anyone just watching the finished product," he said. "But there are many paths to paradise."
