James Bond Movie Rights & Amazon's Creative Control Explained
What does Amazon's takeover actually mean for 007?
James Bondâs movie empire is now under the control of Amazon, a development that has major implications for its future. For the first time since the franchiseâs inception, members of the Broccoli, whose company Eon Productions was founded to bring Bond to the big screen, wonât have the decisive say over what happens to the character and his next movie.
Amazon has acquired the controlling interest in the James Bond franchise through their subsidiary Amazon MGM Studios, following an agreement with Eon founder Albert âCubbyâ Broccoliâs daughter and stepson, longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Broccoli and Wilson will retain partial ownership of the intellectual property related to Bond, but wonât ultimately have any deciding vote over what happens to it. Amazon was already the sole owner of the franchiseâs distribution rights, following its acquisition of MGM Holdings in 2021. Now, the tech behemoth will be able to decide on what James Bond is produced, as well as how itâs distributed.
James Bond Movie Rights' History & Different Owners ExplainedEon Have Held The Intellectual Property Rights For 007 Since 1961In 1961, American movie producer Albert âCubbyâ Broccoli met Harry Saltzman, an up-and-coming producer from Canada with a background in theater. Broccoli had been trying to get his hands on the rights to make a movie series out of Ian Flemingâs James Bond novels for the past two years. It just so happened that Saltzman had bought the rights from Fleming for $50,000, or just over $500,000 in todayâs money (via Encyclopedia.com). Together they formed Eon Productions, specifically with the aim of financing the first Bond movie, Dr. No.
From that moment on until this latest announcement, Eon had exclusive creative control over every adaptation of Ian Flemingâs James Bond novels except two. The first was Casino Royale, the movie rights for which the US broadcaster CBS had already bought from Fleming in 1953. This anomaly explains why there have been three different versions of Casino Royale, beginning with CBSâ own TV movie in 1954.
The second Bond novel which Eon didnât own exclusive rights for was Thunderball, which was subject to a copyright suit after Fleming borrowed its storyline from an unused movie script heâd written but didnât own. The settlement of this suit allowed Kevin McClory, the producer whoâd commissioned the unused script from Fleming, to retain the rights to Thunderballâs story, and license them for use in the 1983 Bond movie Never Say Never Again. This movie remains the only serious James Bond cinematic release not produced by Eon.
Who Currently Owns The Rights To James Bond Movies & TV ShowsAmazon MGM Studios Have Taken It AllAmazonâs deal with Eon heads Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson means that Amazon MGM Studios and Eon Productions now co-own the intellectual property related to the James Bond film franchise. However, itâs Amazon MGM Studios who now have the controlling interest, and both parties have been very specific in their statements that this interest means Amazon MGM will now âleadâ the production of James Bond media.
Related8 Movies That Influenced James Bond FilmsFrom Moonraker cashing in on the Star Wars hype to Casino Royale borrowing Bourne's tone, plenty of James Bond movies were influenced by other films.
At the same time, Amazon owns the worldwide distribution rights for movies and TV shows related to Flemingâs Bond novels. When Amazon bought MGM Holdings in 2021, this purchase included MGM Home Entertainment, the sole owner of the distribution rights for James Bond media. MGM had acquired these rights upon absorbing the original distributor of the Bond movies, United Artists, in 1981. When Sony Pictures shared the distribution rights to every movie between 2006âs Casino Royale and 2015âs Spectre, they were simply leasing a share of these rights from MGM.
MGM also acquired Kevin McClory's estate, which included the movie and TV rights to Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Thunderball. alongside Danjaq LLC in 2013.
Because Amazon now owns MGM and has taken over creative control of the series from Eon Productions, they own all Bond-related media rights. They even own the rights to Casino Royale, which MGM obtained in 1999 via a lawsuit with CBSâ parent company Sony.
Why Amazon MGM Studios Now Has Creative Control & What That MeansIt seems that Amazon MGM Studios has been able to cut a deal with Eon to take creative control of the James Bond franchise following Michael G. Wilsonâs decision to take a step back from work on the Bond movies. Barbara Broccoli alluded to this fact in her statement about the deal, explaining, âWith the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.â
RelatedEvery Major Movie & TV Franchise Amazon Acquired From MGMAmazon's recent purchase of MGM brings the company a ton of classic TV and film franchises, including, James Bond, Rocky, and Stargate.
It could be that without her step-brother and long-term production partner to back her up, Barbara Broccoli has come under pressure from Amazon MGM to relinquish her control over the future of the 007 franchise. Recent reports suggest Broccoli has been involved in a dispute over the next James Bond movieâs villain. Whether she wanted to or not, however, Broccoli has now relented, meaning that the studio and their parent company Amazon will be able to dictate how and when James Bond-related media is made and released from this moment on.
What Amazon MGM Having Creative Control Of James Bond MeansThereâs already a hint as to what Amazon having creative control over the James Bond franchise could mean for its future, in the statement about this deal from MGM Studios boss Mike Hopkins. He describes Amazon as âushering in the next phaseâ of 007, which is especially fitting for someone who also leads Amazonâs Prime Video division. The company will look to get more bang for its buck when it comes to Bond than Eon could ever manage, meaning that weâre likely to see the iconic MI6 agent return in multiple content formats from now on.
If there's no new James Bond movie in 2026, it'll be the joint-longest wait for a new release in the history of the franchise.
Barbara Broccoli has apparently been weary for some time of Amazon treating James Bond as âcontentâ rather than a cinematic institution. Itâs reasonable to assume thereâll be franchise spinoffs and Bond-centered streaming series on the way, as the silver screenâs longest-running franchise aims to compete with competitors such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Whatever formats Amazon MGM go with, one thingâs for sure: itâll be on Prime Video.
James BondThe James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond's mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.
SummaryThe James Bond franchise centers on the fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond, also known by his code number 007. Created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953, Bond has been featured in novels, films, television, radio, comics, and video games. The film series, produced by Eon Productions, is one of the longest-running and highest-grossing franchises in history, known for its blend of espionage, action, and sophisticated style.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller was hit in the head by a 106 MPH fastball during a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs on Feb. 20. The 25-year-old collapsed on the mound but was able to walk off the field. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Miller is in concussion protocol, while the pitcher called it a âscary momentâ in an update to fans on X.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Chris Cornell wrote the theme for 'Casino Royale' in 2006, and while he was happy with the song, he doesn't think every band should make a James Bond theme.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Israel says the two Bibas children and Oded Lifshitz, whose bodies were returned on Feb. 20, were murdered, but that the fourth body was not the boysâ mother.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Jack White has announced the support acts for his upcoming UK and European tour â check out the full list below.Â
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Predictably, men are already angry that the Avatar in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender series, Avatar: Seven Havens, will be female.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
White was one of the biggest TV stars in history, loved by millions of fans of all ages.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Peter Facinelli exclusively opens up to Us Weekly about his relationship with ex-wife Jennie Garth and her husband, Dave Abrams
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 Peter Facinelli exclusively opens up to Us Weekly about his relationship with ex-wife Jennie Garth and her husband, Dave Abrams %23jennie) |
|
|
Jose Mourinho and his troops stand between the Ibrox men and a Europa League last eight spot
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Not even Elon Musk's friendship with Donald Trump is enough to save him from himself as tops he JD Vance's as the president's cringiest ally.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Matt Gaetz is digging into his past and making serious claims about Alan Ritchson after the Reacher star called him a "motherf***er."
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
He shouldnât be getting involved.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
EastEnders fans were left in floods of tears on Thursday night as Martin Fowler passed away in a live episode of the BBC soap, and now the character's original actor has made a savage dig about the show
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
A lifetime public servant, the by-the-book lawyer is the latest to defend the integrity of an increasingly imperilled justice system
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Liz Truss appeared on stage with Steve Bannon, who after a speech the night before lifted his straight right arm with his palm flat as the crowd chanted 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
A post-apocalyptic Avatar has so much potential.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.