Bezos. Jeff Bezos.
Amazon MGM Studios, the tech giant's film unit, plans to take "creative control" of the James Bond series under a new deal with the franchise's longtime producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
The deal will result in a "new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights, and those parties will remain co-owners of the franchise," the business partners said in a news release. When the transaction is closed, Amazon MGM Studios will "gain creative control of the James Bond franchise."
Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, taking over a sprawling library that includes more than 4,000 feature films and 17,000 television shows. The tech behemoth also earned the rights to distribute all the Bond movies, but the new deal solidifies the company's oversight of 007's big-screen future.
"We are grateful to the late Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman for bringing James Bond to movie theatres around the world, and to Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for their unyielding dedication and their role in continuing the legacy of the franchise that is cherished by legions of fans worldwide," Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios chief Mike Hopkins said in a statement.
"We are honored to continue this treasured heritage, and look forward to ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007 for audiences around the world," Hopkins added.
In a statement, Wilson said he was "stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects." Broccoli, for her part, said she felt like "it is time to focus on my other projects" after shepherding the series for decades.
The future of the Bond film series has been in question since the 2021 theatrical release of "No Time to Die," the movie that marked Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing as the suave 007.
In the joint venture announcement, Amazon MGM Studios did not reveal any details about the franchise's next installment. In a post on X shortly after the deal was announced, Bezos gave fans a chance to weigh in on the next person to put on the tuxedo.
"Who’d you pick as the next Bond?" Bezos asked his nearly 7 million followers.
