Re: [NEWS] Amazon given full control of James Bond

:(


In alt.fan.james-bond Your Name <[email protected]> wrote:

> After many months and reportedly calling Amazon "idiots", Barbaba 
> Broccoli now simply hands the entire franchise over to them. I guess 
> the number of zeroes on the cheque changed her mind. Now fans can no 
> doubt expect loads of Political Correctness silliness and a massive 
> cash-in exercise of spin-offs ruining yet another franchise. :-\



>    James Bond's long-serving producers give control to Amazon
>    ----------------------------------------------------------
>    The James Bond film franchise will no longer be controlled
>    by the Broccoli dynasty, after long-serving masterminds
>    Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson announced they are
>    stepping down.

>    The Bond films were launched by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli in
>    1962, before his daughter and stepson took over.

>    The pair will now give creative control to Amazon MGM
>    Studios, which was formed when Amazon bought Bond's parent
>    studio in 2022.

>    The new deal comes after mounting speculation about the fate
>    of the British spy, four years after his last outing in
>    No Time to Die, which was also Daniel Craig's final
>    appearance in the role.

>    Amazon will now decide which actor will take over the famous
>    character, but there is still no timescale for when that
>    that will happen or when the next film will be made.

>    James Norton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James are among
>    the bookmakers' favourites to fill Craig's shoes.

>    After Thursday's announcement, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
>    canvassed fans' opinion on social media, asking: "Who'd you
>    pick as the next Bond?"

>    A statement said Broccoli and Wilson will "remain co-owners
>    of the franchise" as part of a new joint venture but Amazon
>    MGM Studios "will gain creative control".

>    Wilson, 83, said: "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.

>    "Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted
>    partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the
>    future."

>    Broccoli, 64, 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."

>    Cubby Broccoli launched the iconic franchise with co-producer
>    Harry Saltzman, and was joined by Wilson as a producing partner
>    for 1985's A View to a Kill.

>    Barbara took over from her father to join Wilson as a producer
>    for 1995's GoldenEye, and the pair have overseen every Bond
>    film since through their Eon production house.

>    They kept tight control of the character - something that was
>    acknowledged by Craig when he presented them with honorary
>    Oscars in November. "Over the years many people and
>    organisations have tried to put their own footprint on Bond,"
>    he said.

>    "Barbara, Michael, I can't tell you how much I admire your
>    integrity in holding on to your singular vision as you brought
>    Bond into the 21st Century with a passionate and a protective
>    determination to honour the heart of this franchise."


>    'Next phase' for 007
>    In 2021, when Amazon agreed to take over MGM, which shared the
>    rights to Bond with Eon, Broccoli and Wilson said they would
>    keep creative control.

>    However, they have now relinquished the reins, and the deal
>    raises the prospect of a rethink and an expansion of the
>    franchise.

>    The US giant could commission more streaming spin-offs, for
>    example, such as how the Star Wars universe has been expanded
>    on Disney+.

>    Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios,
>    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."

>    Last year, Amazon launched the first spin-off TV series,
>    007: Road to a Million, hosted by Succession star Brian Cox.

>    It featured nine teams in a race to win £1m each through a
>    series of spy-themed challenges. However, that series was
>    poorly received by some fans and critics and Cox later joked
>    that he signed on to the project thinking it was the next James
>    Bond film.

>    News of Thursday's deal helps to explain why there has been a
>    long delay without any announcement about a 26th official Bond
>    film, or its star.

>    Given how much time it takes to make a blockbuster movie, the
>    gap between No Time To Die and the next film could break the
>    six-year record for the longest period between Bond releases.

>    Last August, the Telegraph's chief film critic Robbie Collin
>    wrote that there was "no script, no title, not even a director"
>    for a new instalment.

>    In October, Amazon MGM Studios boss Jennifer Salke told the
>    Guardian there were "a lot of different ways we can go" with the
>    franshise, and that "we don't want too much time between films,
>    but we are not concerned at this point".

>    She also said the company had "a good and close relationship"
>    with Broccoli and Wilson.

>    However in December, the Wall Street Journal reported that
>    "the relationship between the family that oversees the franchise
>    and the e-commerce giant has all but collapsed".

>    The newspaper also claimed that Broccoli had privately described
>    Amazon as "idiots".


>    <https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mn9gz5x3mo>





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