February 23, 2025, 9:25 am | Read time: 7 minutes
It has been a fact for several years that the James Bond brand effectively belongs to Amazon. However, the mail-order company has taken a major step forward, which will significantly impact the future of the film series.
Many people will be familiar with the missions of the British secret agent in the service of His Majesty. After all, James Bond has been saving the world in the movies since the 1960s. But now, more than ever, he faces an uncertain future. From now on, James Bond will be under the complete creative control of Amazon. But how did this come about, and what could it actually mean?
Amazon Takes Creative Control of James Bond
A press release from the company recently made it official for the public: the franchise surrounding the character James Bond will, in the future, be under the exclusive creative control of Amazon. This means that the provider will be able to decide for itself what it wants to do with the agent in the coming years and possibly decades.
This was preceded by Amazon’s takeover of the traditional studio MGM a few years ago. As a result, the worldwide distribution rights changed hands, and Amazon has held them ever since. As far as creative influence was concerned, however, the company had to coordinate with long-standing producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. They had extensive decision-making rights, from casting to marketing concepts.
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson Step Down
Broccoli is the daughter of Albert Broccoli, and Wilson is his stepson. Together with his business partner Harry Saltzman, Albert Broccoli bought the film rights to Ian Fleming’s James Bond books in the 1950s. This made the Broccoli family one of the founders and owners of the famous film series.
As a result, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson also began working on Bond films in the 1970s. They then took control of the series in 1995. With the new decision, they are now handing it over to Amazon. Both are taking a back seat but will remain co-owners of the brand. Wilson even wants to say goodbye to the film industry altogether.
James Bond Decision Shakes Up the Entertainment World
This move took an entire industry by surprise. At the end of 2024, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the Broccoli family and Amazon were at odds over the content direction of Bond’s future. Barbara Broccoli, in particular, is said to have described those responsible at Amazon as “idiots” and rejected suggestions from the internet giant.
Under these circumstances, Bond would not have gone ahead in the foreseeable future. As TV Spielfilm editor and James Bond expert Michael Hille explained when asked by TECHBOOK, Broccoli, therefore, had to make a decision: Either continue to prevent Amazon from planning new projects or hand over the creative reins in return for possibly a lot of money. Apparently, the latter was chosen.
How Bond Star Daniel Craig Reacts
Superstar Daniel Craig, who has played James Bond a total of five times and whose fame is largely due to the role, has made an official statement to the US industry magazine Variety.
In it, he said:
“My respect, admiration and love for Barbara and Michael remain constant and undiminished. I wish Michael a long, restful (and well-deserved) retirement, and whatever Barbara does next, I know it will be spectacular, and I hope to be a part of it.”
Daniel Craig
Craig was last seen as James Bond in 2021’s No Time to Die. The blockbuster also marked his final appearance in the iconic role, as he subsequently retired from it.
What’s Next for James Bond on Amazon?
As Variety writes in a separate report, Amazon’s new deal with Broccoli and Wilson has yet to be waved through by regulators. As a result, all possibilities for new creative decisions by Amazon are on hold for the time being. However, a direction has already been indicated in the dispute with Broccoli.
It is obvious that Amazon would like to expand the James Bond brand. It is already known that a reality show is to be added to the franchise. The company is also said to have expressed interest in TV series and spin-offs. Even a female Bond is said to have been mooted, while Broccoli is said to have insisted that it should remain with a British man. Without her influence and Wilson’s, the way is now clear for other plans. But will they be any good?
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Fans React with Horror
It is clear that Amazon now sees an opportunity to expand the Bond brand in a revenue-generating way – as content. And that’s exactly what fans are upset about: “From my point of view, the sell-out is starting now,” says Bond expert Hille. “I’m completely gutted about this and believe it’s the wrong way to go and doomed to failure.” Bond films have always lived from their big event character. Transferring this to streaming is hardly conceivable.
This sentiment is shared by many other fans online. For example, film expert Griffin Schiller writes on X: “This is pretty much the worst thing that could happen to the franchise […]. It’s being milked dry. This really is the end.” Others believe that the previous quality will suffer from a multitude of sequels and that “Amazon will destroy a great franchise like Disney destroyed Star Wars.” Fans have long complained that Star Wars is getting worse and worse under Disney and that its content is being watered down.
Filmmaker Joe Russo (not to be confused with one-half of the director of Avengers: Endgame) is also skeptical about the decision. In his opinion, it would be sad to see the last family-run movie franchise handed over to “people in suits.” In addition, he insists that Bond should not be turned into a cinematic universe (similar to Marvel or Star Wars, for example). Bond is “one of our last great cinematic events. Don’t water it down with a multitude of streaming spin-offs.”