James Bond
is set to join a growing list of popular intellectual properties to reach a major milestone and begin expanding rapidly after being acquired by Amazon. James Bond moving to Amazon is sure to shake up the franchise, and while many people are anxious about what may become of the series, Amazon doesn’t have much time to forever change the series.
For decades, James Bond has been a household name, with movies featuring the international super spy coming out consistently every few years. However, from the earliest adaptations of Ian Fleming’s inspired character, the way he was portrayed on screen has been carefully protected. Barbara Broccoli and executives at EON have been meticulous about the character, and careful not to overuse him in an era when every other franchise is seeking out exponential growth with spin-offs galore. But in 10 years’ time, things will change drastically.
How 2035 Will Bring A Big Change For James Bond Movies
James Bond Will No Longer Be Private Property
While IP is king in Hollywood right now, and studios are scrambling to make and expand whatever properties they deem as having potential for a larger franchise, James Bond has largely avoided branching out beyond a series of regular movies with a new actor stepping in to play the leading role. But in 2035, that will certainly change drastically as the books by Ian Fleming featuring his famous character will enter the public domain.
The public domain is the name given to countless properties that have their copyrights expire, and become free and fair use for anyone who desires to use them. For the most part, this affects properties that have fallen out of vogue, but there are several notable creations that enter the public domain each year, such as Sherlock Holmes in 2023. Now, James Bond will also join this growing list of public domain properties, which means anyone and everyone is able to use the character to create their own stories, without seeking special permissions or paying licensing fees.
James Bond Has Already Had To Deal With Unofficial 007 Movies
James Bond Has Had Some Skits And Parodies In The Past
Now, copyright laws are tricky, and just because Fleming’s library of work is entering the public domain, that does not make everything that has been released in the last century available to use. For instance, the EON movies will still be protected by copyright laws, and adaptations of those works specifically will not be allowed. Likewise, the iconic music of those films, and more, will still remain under copyright.
However, that doesn’t mean that other unofficial parodies have not been made. For instance, in 1967, there was a parody-style film made of Casino Royale, which adapted the source material by Fleming and created something that barely resembles the character that people know and love. The truth is, parodies fall into another category altogether, and this makes it possible for storytellers to playfully engage with source material, even copyrighted source material, as long as it meets certain criteria.
Public Domain Properties Have Been A Growing Trend In Recent Years
People Have Gotten Creative With Big Name Characters After They Hit The Public Domain
But the issue at hand is the fact that with the original novels and the character entering the public domain, it does open the door for a whole host of new interpretations and plays on the character whose legacy has been so faithfully preserved up to this point. While Broccoli blocked many attempts to expand the franchise, and there is concern that Amazon will now begin farming the content for all it’s worth, there is very little time left for Amazon to expand and grow the series. And while there is a lot that Amazon may do in that span of time, it will likely be overshadowed in part by what will happen once the character reaches the public domain in 2035.
With the public domain date looming, there is potential for other creatives to begin working on a project, even now, and start formulating ideas about how they can explore the character in whole new ways. And as seen with characters like Winnie the Pooh and Steamboat Willie are beginning to appear in horror adaptations of beloved children’s cartoon icons. The potential for James Bond to be warped in weird and possibly wonderful ways is unlimited, but Amazon has 10 years to make their mark before it makes its way out to every other aspiring storyteller who wants to take the iconic character to places that he has never been before.
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
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.
