Amazon MGM Studios struck a deal with Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to house James Bond intellectual property rights.
According to Deadline, the deal where Amazon would get full creative control over 007’s franchise was around US$1 billion.
“Since his theatrical introduction over 60 years ago, James Bond has been one of the most iconic characters in filmed entertainment,” Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios head, Mike Hopkins said.
“We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world.”
Amazon acquired MGM, including a catalogue of more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows, in 2022 for $8.25 billion. The deal gave Amazon the rights to distribute the James Bond films and with this new transaction, they will be given greater control over the film series’s legacy.
The new partnership possibly hints at Amazon MGM gearing up to announce and new Bond film and since Daniel Craig announced that he would not be appearing in a fifth Bond film, the studio will have to find an eighth actor to carry on the legacy.
Amazon founder and executive chairman, Jeff Bezos took to X to stir excitement about the new venture.
“Who’d you pick as the next Bond?” he posted.
Both Broccoli and Wilson said they felt it was the right time to step away from the series.
“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,” Wilson said.
“My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli. 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,” Broccoli said.
The 25th installment of the Bond series in 2021, No Time to Die starring Craig, earned $775 million.
At the time of writing, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stocks are trading at $222.88, down 1.65% from the previous close of $226.63. The company has had a high of $225.13 and a low of $221.81. Amazon’s market cap is $2.34 trillion.
