James Bond: Why did Amazon MGM Suddenly take Control of the Franchise?

In a significant shift for the iconic James Bond franchise, Amazon MGM Studios has acquired creative control, ending decades of stewardship by the Broccoli family. This change follows Amazon's acquisition of MGM Studios in 2022 for $6.1 billion, heavily influenced by the potential to control the beloved Bond series. 

End of an Era

For over 60 years, the Broccoli family, now led by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, has been at the helm of the James Bond franchise. Their stewardship has resulted in 25 films, generating $7.6 billion globally. With the new agreement, Amazon MGM Studios will oversee key decisions such as casting and scriptwriting for future Bond films, while the Broccoli family will remain co-owners. 

Future of the Franchise

The transition has sparked discussions about the future direction of the franchise. Amazon's data-driven approach may lead to increased production frequency and the development of Bond-themed TV spin-offs for Amazon Prime. As such, concerns have been raised about potential over-saturation and the preservation of the franchise's legacy. 

There is some basis for this concern as The Wall Street Journal reported in December that the relationship between Broccoli and Amazon had collapsed due to the former's resistance to expanding the James Bond franchise like Star Wars, Spider-Man, and the Marvel superhero universe. Deadline has also stated that this expansion "would be a priority to a volume-driven company like Amazon."

Why did Amazon take over the James Bond Franchise?

Deadline stated, "To Broccoli, 007 is a gem that consists of a movie at a time, carefully crafted, and never out of her controlling hands." But this made development slow. The outlet further stated, "It has just taken too long to get on track with a new chapter for 007, with a new star-in-the-making to play him."

Also, this new Amazon MGM takeover might make it easier to get a great director at the helm. Deadline wrote, "With great filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and Edward Berger all 007 acolytes who’ve expressed interest in taking the baton, today’s development might make it possible to enlist a filmmaker like Tarantino or Nolan, who insist on control of their projects."

This wouldn't have been possible with Broccoli and Wilson, who wanted to protect the asset their father had built over decades.

Casting Speculations

With Daniel Craig's departure after "No Time to Die" in 2021, speculation about the next James Bond has intensified. Potential candidates include James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Theo James, with social media suggesting Idris Elba and Henry Cavill. Jeff Bezos has even engaged the public by asking, "Who'd you pick as the next Bond?" on X.

Who’d you pick as the next Bond? pic.twitter.com/u7nBaRROlf

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) February 20, 2025

This deal reshapes 007’s future, and we can expect updates as the saga unfolds.