- Amazon MGM Studios has taken creative control of the James Bond franchise.
- Longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will step back from Bond decision-making.
- Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, which had the rights to the Bond franchise.
Amazon MGM Studios announced on Thursday that it has taken over creative control of the beloved James Bond franchise.
The announcement also noted that the long-time guardians of the franchise, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, would be stepping aside from the 007 franchise decision-making.
"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," said Wilson, in the statement Amazon released.
"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," said Broccoli in the same release.
According to the release, Amazon, Wilson, and Broccoli have created a joint venture to house the Bond IP. All will remain franchise co-owners, but Amazon MGM will have creative control.
In 2022, Amazon acquired MGM for $6.5 billion, which held the rights to all the Bond movies. Amazon would release Bond movies going forward, but it didn't have creative control.
That power was always in the hands of Barbara Broccoli, the daughter of producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, who launched James Bond into the goliath it is today. For 30 years, Barbara (along with Wilson) has called the shots on all things 007.
However, since Amazon got involved, things have been shaky.
According to a December 2024 Wall Street Journal article, Broccoli and Amazon had been at an impasse on how to move forward with the franchise since the exit of Daniel Craig as Bond with 2021's "No Time to Die."
WSJ boiled it down to "a clash between the 20th-century Hollywood of big screens and big swings and a new entertainment industry ruled by Silicon Valley firms that prize data, algorithms, and streaming subscriptions."
According to the article, Broccoli nixed Bond spin-off ideas suggested by Amazon executives and took offense when one referred to the franchise as "content."
Business Insider's immediate request to Broccoli for comment was not returned.
"No Time to Die," the 25th movie in the Bond franchise, earned over $774 million at the box office worldwide.
Four years since the movie opened, there has been no official announcement of who will be cast as the next James Bond.
