James Bond fans will be shocked by an unexpected announcement about the future of the much-loved series.
Long-time producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will no longer have creative control over future Bond projects. Instead, Amazon MGM Studios will have creative control after the company formed a new joint venture with Wilson and Broccoli.
"Amazon MGM Studios, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today announced that they have formed a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights, and those parties will remain co-owners of the franchise," the statement read.
"Under the terms of the new venture, Amazon MGM Studios will gain creative control of the James Bond franchise following closing of the transaction."
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James Bond fans haven't taken well to the news, calling it the "end of an era" and "RIP James Bond".
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"Aaaaaand that's the end of James Bond. Can't wait for 7000 spin offs and a load of garbage films pumped out every year like the Marvel stuff," wrote one fan in response, with another adding: "This is HUGE news, and probably not the good kind."
On BlueSky, one fan simply responded to the news with a classic quote from the series: "We expect you to die, Mr Bond."
Amazon has held the rights to distribute James Bond movies since 2022 when the company acquired MGM. However, Wilson and Broccoli had retained creative control until this new venture and new Bond projects couldn't be made without their approval.
"With my 007 career spanning nearly sixty incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects," wrote Wilson.
"Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future."
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Broccoli added: "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.
"I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. 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."
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said that the company is looking forward to "ushering in the next phase of the legendary 007".
"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," he added.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
