A new report has revealed more of the behind-the-scenes tensions that delayed Amazon MGM’s progress with the James Bond franchise. Questions about the future of the vaunted spy series first arose in 2022 when Amazon acquired MGM Studios and its extensive film and television library for $8.5 billion. Despite launching a tie-in reality television series, 007: Road to a Million, on Prime Video in 2023, progress on what will become the 26th movie in the official Bond franchise has been scant until a more recent series of behind-the-scenes reshuffling.
After months of reported disagreements between franchise co-owners Eon Productions and long-term producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the pair officially ceded full creative control of the property of Amazon MGM studios in February this year. Then, Amazon MGM Studio’s head of film, Courtenay Valenti, announced that Amy Pascal and David Heyman had been tapped to produce Bond 26, effectively replacing the Broccoli family, who had been making Bond movies since the 1960s.
Reports Link Bond 26’s Delay To Disagreements With A Key Amazon MGM Exec
Rumors Of Creative Differences Have Been Circulating Since 2024
Reports of behind-the-scenes conflicts relating to the future direction of the James Bond franchise are not new. In December last year, The Wall Street Journal published a report that Broccoli and Wilson were experiencing a creative dispute over the direction of the next movie. This report suggested that Broccoli and Wilson had differing opinions on casting the next James Bond, as well as concerns about Amazon MGM’s suggestion of reintroducing another billionaire autocrat as the next villain.
A new report published by Variety appears to back up many of these original claims, going on to single out former Amazon MGM studio head Jennifer Salke as a key player in the ongoing disagreements surrounding the property. Suggesting that Broccoli had told others she did not “feel inspired by working with Salke,” tensions reportedly came to a head with the release of the WSJ’s article at the end of last year.
Variety’s sources also suggested that Salke intended to transform James Bond into a “less dangerous” character who could potentially transition across to television shows and video games. It was an approach that Broccoli reportedly took considerable issue with, and one that insiders have referred to disparagingly as an attempt to water 007 down into “a rebellious cookie-cutter spy out of an NBC drama.”
What These New Reports Mean For 007’s Future At Amazon MGM Studios
Bond 26 Needs To Prove The Franchise’s New Owners Can Get It Right
As one of the best-known and longest-running film franchises in cinema history, there is considerable pressure for Amazon MGM to get the next Bond movie right. There are currently some genuine concerns among viewers that Amazon MGM’s stewardship of the franchise may result in a heavily diluted version of the character that audiences have loved for over 60 years. However, it would seem that Salke’s recent departure from the studio, coupled with the decision to appoint Pascal and Heyman as producers, would still hint at the company’s desire to get the property right.
While the James Bond movies have not been immune to delays caused by previous behind-the-scenes disputes and legal dramas, Bond 26 may end up setting a franchise record for the longest time between releases. Hopefully, Amazon MGM will still manage to release a 007 film worthy of the IP’s enormous legacy, and prove that the ᴀssorted delays and dramas it has been facing in more recent years will have been worth it.
Source: Variety
James Bond
- Created by
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Ian Fleming, Albert R. Broccoli
- First Film
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Dr. No
- Latest Film
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No Time to Die
- Upcoming Films
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James Bond 26
- First TV Show
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Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond
- First Episode Air Date
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January 29, 2014
- Cast
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Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig
- TV Show(s)
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Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond
- Character(s)
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James Bond, M (James Bond), Q (James Bond), Moneypenny, Felix Leiter, Jaws, Goldfinger
- Video Game(s)
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GoldenEye 007, The World Is Not Enough, 007: Nightfire, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, Quantum of Solace, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love, James Bond 007: Blood Stone, GoldenEye 007 Remake, 007: Agent Under Fire
Summary
The James Bond franchise centers on the fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond, also known by his code number 007. Created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953, Bond has been featured in novels, films, television, radio, comics, and video games. The film series, produced by Eon Productions, is one of the longest-running and highest-grossing franchises in history, known for its blend of espionage, action, and sophisticated style.
